Coastal Carolina University vs Elon University

Coastal Carolina University and Elon University, both located in the southeastern United States, offer distinct educational experiences for prospective students. Coastal Carolina, situated in Conway, South Carolina, boasts a higher acceptance rate (73%) compared to Elon's more selective admissions process (62%). While Elon's student body is slightly larger, both universities share a vibrant and diverse campus community. Coastal Carolina excels in marine science and environmental studies, while Elon is renowned for its communications and business programs. With comparable graduation rates, both institutions provide ample opportunities for academic success and personal growth. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Coastal Carolina University	Elon University
Overview
Location	Conway, South Carolina	Elon, North Carolina
Campus setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	72.0%	88.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	79.1%	77.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $45	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1030 - 1190	N/A
ACT range	20 - 25	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	29.0%
Students submitting ACT score	13.0%
Total number of applicants	15,481	17,834
Total number of admissions given out	12,251	13,859
Admitted students who chose to enroll	2,519	1,591
Yield rate	20.6%	11.5%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $26,318 Out of state: $42,072	$55,647
Average net price	$14,956	$40,366
Tuition	In state: $11,460 Out of state: $27,214	$38,218
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,440 Meal plan: $3,928	Room/dormitory: $6,593 Meal plan: $6,829
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	91.0% Average amount $9,834	67.0% Average amount $13,677
Students receiving federal student loan	60.0% Average amount $5,848	30.0% Average amount $5,259
Students taking out private loans	16.0% Average amount $20,291	7.0% Average amount $25,192

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	9,790 Men 44.9% Women 55.1%	6,302 Men 40.2% Women 59.8%
Graduate students	683 Men 30.7% Women 69.3%	825 Men 36.5% Women 63.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	60.2%	80.6%
International students	1.2%	2.0%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	4,728	4,192
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	South Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Maryland	North Carolina New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Virginia

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Biological and Biomedical Sciences Business Communication and Journalism	Business Legal Profession Health Professions Communication and Journalism Education
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	51.2%	83.3%
Dropout rate	11.4%	16.7%
Transferred out	36.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,378 Year 2: $57,318 Year 3: $69,235 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,086 Year 2: $48,198 Year 3: $61,332 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $48,114 Year 2: $53,497 Year 3: $60,248 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,888 Year 2: $65,750 Year 3: $59,685 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,976 Year 2: $34,704 Year 3: $44,693 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,824 Year 2: $42,873 Year 3: $44,446 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,464 Year 2: $37,856 Year 3: $44,425 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,250 Year 2: $38,168 Year 3: $43,145 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,430 Year 2: $38,597 Year 3: $42,978 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,101 Year 2: $36,423 Year 3: $42,472	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $101,556 Year 2: $104,061 Year 3: $105,320 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $64,803 Year 2: $71,854 Year 3: $78,720 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,320 Year 2: $60,016 Year 3: $77,567 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $46,276 Year 2: $54,192 Year 3: $77,220 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,564 Year 2: $62,154 Year 3: $76,604 Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $68,888 Year 2: $69,629 Year 3: $70,208 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,091 Year 2: $50,022 Year 3: $64,255 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,189 Year 3: $59,817 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,293 Year 2: $36,674 Year 3: $58,053 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,055 Year 3: $55,617

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