East Tennessee State University (ETSU) vs Eastern Kentucky University (EKU)

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) are two public universities located in the southeastern United States, offering a wide range of academic programs and opportunities. While they share some similarities, there are also several key differences between the two institutions. ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (78%) compared to EKU (69%), making it a more accessible option for students. ETSU also boasts a larger student body, with over 14,000 undergraduate students enrolled compared to EKU's approximately 12,000. In terms of popular majors, ETSU excels in fields such as nursing, business, and education, while EKU is known for its programs in health sciences, education, and engineering. Both universities offer a diverse student body, with ETSU having a slightly higher percentage of female students (56%) compared to EKU (53%). When it comes to graduation rates, ETSU has a slightly higher four
East Tennessee State University logo

East Tennessee State University

Eastern Kentucky University logo

Eastern Kentucky University

Overview

Location Johnson City, Tennessee Richmond, Kentucky
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 67.0% 74.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 87.4% 98.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $55
SAT range N/A 950 - 1180
ACT range 19 - 26 18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 80.0% 88.0%
Total number of applicants 8,563 7,251
Total number of admissions given out 7,484 7,131
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,856 2,493
Yield rate 24.8% 35.0%
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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,704

Out of state: $32,006
In state: $23,762

Out of state: $34,034
Average net price $14,482 $14,271
Tuition
In state: $7,486

Out of state: $10,788
In state: $9,452

Out of state: $19,724
Room & board $9,582
Room/dormitory: $5,416

Meal plan: $3,994
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $9,541
98.0%
Average amount $9,891
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $6,489
49.0%
Average amount $4,950
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $13,366
5.0%
Average amount $10,455

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 10,316
Men 38.3% Women 61.7%
11,684
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students 2,987
Men 30.7% Women 69.3%
2,300
Men 30.0% Women 70.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 22.1% N/A
International students 2.0% 1.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 2,833 4,479
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Tennessee North Carolina Virginia South Carolina Georgia Ohio Illinois Indiana West Virginia

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Liberal Arts
  • Engineering Technologies
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 50.6% 47.8%
Dropout rate 21.3% 48.5%
Transferred out 25.2% 1.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,882
  • Year 2: $117,477
  • Year 3: $121,003
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,648
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $101,627
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,704
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $92,942
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,704
  • Year 2: $70,009
  • Year 3: $77,994
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,980
  • Year 2: $68,592
  • Year 3: $75,044
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,417
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $71,655
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,748
  • Year 2: $54,748
  • Year 3: $69,192
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,234
  • Year 2: $56,867
  • Year 3: $66,513
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,737
  • Year 2: $44,971
  • Year 3: $59,138
Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,039
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $58,679
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $110,878
  • Year 3: $113,532
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,123
  • Year 2: $90,291
  • Year 3: $95,519
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,935
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $78,046
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,209
  • Year 2: $74,105
  • Year 3: $74,692
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,585
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $71,030
Educational Administration and Supervision (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,959
  • Year 2: $60,523
  • Year 3: $62,961
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,605
  • Year 2: $49,019
  • Year 3: $62,600
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,959
  • Year 2: $60,523
  • Year 3: $61,708
Fire Protection (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,702
  • Year 2: $49,787
  • Year 3: $58,036
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,745
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $57,935

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