East Carolina University

Greenville, NC · SoutheastQuad's selectivityAccessible

Known forTest-optional heavy

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

East Carolina admits about 9 in 10 applicants (89%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 25% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

89%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

26,369

Admitted

23,524

Yield

17%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1070–1240

10001600

ACT middle 50%

21–26

1836

Applications +85% since fall 2014 · admit rate 77% → 89%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 19,896 undergrads, where 32% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

19.9K

undergrads · larger than 95% of colleges

Diversity index

0.58

Pell Grant

32%

below the median

First generation

26%

below the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · American Athletic ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research

More diverse · index 0.49 → 0.58 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (8% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 77% of faculty are full-time. Spends $14,141 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $21,836 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.4K less than the national median. The 56% who received grants paid $13,755 on average; the other 44% paid the full sticker price of $24,331 in-state / $40,608 out-of-state.

20%

$21.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.4K below the national median

Full price, in-state: $24,331 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Little need-based aid above $110K; aid thins out for families above that income

Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 20% of full price

Federal loans

39%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −12% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $55,146 ten years after enrolling, more than at 54% of colleges; 66% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

66%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$55.1K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.8K

≈ $241/month for 10 years

Retention

83%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 59% → 63% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 10% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 85% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 77% to 89%.

Cost
Falling
−12% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+85%
Selectivity
Less selective
admit rate 77% → 89%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.49 → 0.58

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of Nebraska at Omaha

87% admit · 11.5K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

91% admit · 16.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public

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Bridgewater State University

88% admit · SAT 1162 · 7.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso public

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Northern Arizona University

90% admit · 22.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
State laws on public colleges
State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since June 24, 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04
17
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

IPEDS unit ID 198464 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything