WSSU vs. ECU

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or East Central University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or ECU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Winston Salem State University vs. East Central University comparison
Winston Salem State University East Central University College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University East Central University
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Overview

 WSSU ECU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Ada, OK
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 5,004 3,376
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #928
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu ecok.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WSSU ECU
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $6,001
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $15,361
Room & Board $11,220 $7,752
Avg Net Price $14,097 $10,221
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $8,853
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 89%

Admission

 WSSU ECU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 1,200
Admitted 5,598 841
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 70.1%
Enrolled % 15.3% 59.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 14/19 16/22
SAT Range 830/1050 960/1078
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 WSSU ECU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Human Services (14%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 WSSU ECU
Graduation Rate 41% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $40,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 45%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $16,878
Median Loan Payment $265 $174

Diversity

 WSSU ECU
% Men 24% 38%
% Women 76% 62%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 55%
% Black 72% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 14%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 10%
% International 2% 10%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 WSSU ECU
% In-State 82% 88%
% Out-of-State 16% 11%

Campus

 WSSU ECU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than ECU based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 3,376 students)

WSSU vs. ECU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or ECU?

  • East Central University is 76.4% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($6,001.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.3% higher at ECU than Winston Salem State University ($15,361.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at East Central University than WSSU ($10,221 vs. $14,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at East Central University are 44.7% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($7,752 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at East Central University than Winston Salem State University (89% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by East Central University students is 6% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($8,853 vs. $8,350)

WSSU vs. ECU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU or ECU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ECU or WSSU .

  • The average SAT score at East Central University (970) is 100 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming ECU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman ECU students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • WSSU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than ECU (70.1%)

WSSU vs. ECU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or ECU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between ECU and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than East Central University (41% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from East Central University earn on average $4,600 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $35,700)
  • East Central University students graduate with a $8,785 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($16,878 vs. $25,663)
  • ECU graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($174 vs. $265)
  • More ECU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (45% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/