East Carolina University (ECU)
Public four-year university in Greenville, NC that costs an average of $16,880 a year after financial aid, admits 89% of applicants and graduates 63% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$16,880
Acceptance rate
89%
Graduation rate
63%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$60,387
PublicSmall city19,896 undergraduates
Cost of ECU
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $25,015 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $7,438 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $23,715 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $12,003 |
| Books and supplies | $1,520 |
| Average net price after aid | $16,880 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $12,125 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $12,558 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $14,074 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $19,510 |
| $110,001+ | $24,257 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with ECU's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 89% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,180 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 540–630 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 530–610 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 21–26 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 63% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 83% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $51,309 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $60,387 |
| Rank in North Carolina (earnings) | 11th of 55 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $20,500 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $233 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 34% |
| Students with federal loans | 39% |
Majors and programs at ECU
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (66)
Certificate programs (15)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology | 20 | — | — |
| Computer Programming | 23 | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | — | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 21 | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 111 | — | $17,500 |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 150 | — | $21,269 |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Historic Preservation and Conservation | 10 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 13 | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Literature | 2 | — | — |
| Public Health | 28 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 13 | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (14)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | — | — | — |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | — | — | — |
| Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | — | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | — | — | — |
| Marketing | — | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | — | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | — | — | — |
| Public Administration | — | — | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | — | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (56)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 46 | $114,965 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 154 | $111,253 | $40,674 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 69 | $109,044 | $49,932 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 502 | $86,591 | $30,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 84 | $68,788 | $20,445 |
| Public Administration | 18 | $66,572 | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 61 | $66,502 | $41,000 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 174 | $66,215 | $20,500 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 106 | $66,137 | $41,000 |
| Public Health | 110 | $59,123 | $30,750 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 58 | $58,180 | $28,512 |
| Biology | 44 | $57,260 | — |
| English Language and Literature | 62 | $56,882 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 129 | $56,809 | $20,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 23 | $56,020 | — |
| Library Science and Administration | 111 | $54,939 | $39,060 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 47 | $53,548 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 63 | $53,240 | $28,150 |
| Social Work | 138 | $52,586 | $38,212 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 154 | $49,804 | $37,868 |
| Music | 33 | $46,538 | — |
| Anthropology | 13 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 9 | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 5 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 19 | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 4 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 14 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Computer Science | 33 | — | — |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 18 | — | — |
| Criminology | 27 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 13 | — | — |
| Data Science | 21 | — | — |
| Economics | 18 | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 59 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 43 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 16 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 31 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 9 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 18 | — | — |
| History | 10 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 12 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 14 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 23 | — | — |
| International/Globalization Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Maritime Studies | 20 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 9 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 24 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | 16 | — | — |
| Physics | 17 | — | — |
| Psychology | 56 | — | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 11 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 7 | — | — |
| Sociology | 9 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 23 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (15)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 9 | $107,638 | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 73 | $106,089 | $30,222 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 6 | $72,998 | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 22 | $69,544 | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 11 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 37 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | — | — | — |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 2 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 2 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 1 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 2 | — | — |
| Pharmacology and Toxicology | 1 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 5 | — | — |
| Public Health | 11 | — | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 2 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (5)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dentistry | 100 | $172,986 | $157,395 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 21 | — | — |
| Medicine | 157 | — | $158,510 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 155 | — | $39,397 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 63 | — | $54,531 |
Graduate certificate programs (46)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Software and Media Applications | 67 | $85,400 | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 43 | $81,185 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 137 | $79,221 | $25,500 |
| Marketing | 88 | $67,010 | $20,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 85 | $56,787 | $31,563 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 67 | $47,370 | $33,350 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 2 | — | — |
| Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 1 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 15 | — | — |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 16 | — | — |
| Criminology | — | — | — |
| Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature | 24 | — | — |
| Data Analytics | 1 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 8 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 21 | — | — |
| Environmental Design | — | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 19 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 7 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 11 | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | 11 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 14 | — | — |
| Information Science/Studies | 9 | — | — |
| International Business | 2 | — | — |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 17 | — | — |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | 7 | — | — |
| Music | — | — | — |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | 9 | — | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | — | — | — |
| Public Administration | 6 | — | — |
| Public Health | 25 | — | — |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | 10 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 35 | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 4 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 23 | — | $28,954 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 38 | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 5 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 31 | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 18 | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 20 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 44 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 10 | — | — |
Similar colleges in North Carolina
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone | $16,082 | 90% | $57,488 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | $11,305 | 15% | $81,094 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | $15,142 | 80% | $63,486 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | $19,570 | 64% | $61,019 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | $16,486 | 42% | $77,810 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | $12,291 | 89% | $53,402 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | $9,884 | 50% | $50,279 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | $13,025 | 82% | $53,764 |
About ECU
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Greenville, NC |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 19,896 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 17 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Website | ecu.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is ECU's acceptance rate?
East Carolina University admits 89% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,180 on the SAT.
How much does ECU cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $25,015 a year (tuition and fees: $7,438 in-state, $23,715 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $16,880 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $12,125.
How much do ECU graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $60,387 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 11th of 55 similar colleges in North Carolina. The best-paid bachelor's program is registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing ($80,015 a year after graduation).
What is ECU's graduation rate?
63% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 83% of first-year students return for a second year.