East Carolina University — College Profile

About

Located in Greenville, East Carolina University is a major public research institution widely recognized for producing the largest share of healthcare professionals and teachers in North Carolina, with flagship strengths in nursing, education, business, and the Brody School of Medicine. True to its university motto, *Servire* ("To Serve"), ECU distinguishes itself through extensive community engagement and rural health initiatives, alongside unique specialty programs such as maritime history and underwater archaeology. Student life is defined by fierce "Pirate Nation" pride, characterized by high-energy NCAA Division I athletics and a welcoming, active campus community in a quintessential college-town setting.

Wikipedia:East Carolina University (ECU) is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina. It is unique in North Carolina in that it hosts schools of medicine, dentistry, and engineering at the same university.

Location

Greenville, NC, 27858-4353 · City campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

RDU · Raleigh-Durham

82 mi away

Open in Google Maps View official campus map

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$7,361$23,638

Housing & food (on campus)$11,541$11,541

Books & supplies$1,510$1,510

Cost of attendance$23,867$42,850

Average net price$15,739Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$23,638

In-state: $7,361

Housing & food (on campus)$11,541

Books & supplies$1,510

Cost of attendance$42,850

In-state: $23,867

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $15,739

Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: financialaid.ecu.edu

How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2026-27

East Carolina University’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.

Tuition$24,555

Housing$6,699

Food$5,521

Books & supplies$1,570

Personal expenses$2,067

Transportation$2,380

Total published by the school$42,850

Source: financialaid.ecu.edu · checked Sep 28, 2026

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$10,046

$30–48k

$11,699

$48–75k

$14,904

$75–110k

$20,417

$110k+

$23,028

Your family's actual price → East Carolina University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Merit aid · 2024-25

Awarded without financial need. Students with financial need can get merit awards too; they're counted as need-based aid.

Average award$4,017

First-years who got one210

Source: East Carolina University's Common Data Set — the school's own yearly report of its admissions and aid figures.

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

62%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

43%

Back for yr 2

83%

Transferred

28%

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

67% graduated · 26% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 7% left or unknown

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$46,420

10 yrs after entry$55,146

Debt

Median at graduation$22,750

Monthly payment$241

Middle 50% owe$7.5k–$27k

90th percentile$34,000

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

89%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1180

R 540–630 · M 530–610

SAT middle 50%: 1070–1240

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If East Carolina University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 43%Women 57%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

17 : 1

Pell grant

32%

First-gen

26%

Family income

$51,027

Independent

18%

Veterans

Age at entry

21.0

Part-time

15%

Race & ethnicity

White

61%

Hispanic

10%

Black

16%

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division I-FBS · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Men's · Women's
Lacrosse
Women's
Soccer
Women's
Softball
Women's
Swimming and Diving (combined)
Women's
Tennis
Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$46,420

After 10 yrs

$55,146

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing351

Business Administration, Management and Operations350

Public Health270

Communication and Media Studies249

Psychology, General246

Biology, General241

Marketing228

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods221

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities196

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians193

Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other162

Criminal Justice and Corrections162

Finance and Financial Management Services134

Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences121

Health and Medical Administrative Services93

Management Information Systems and Services90

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$320M

Full-time faculty

77%

Faculty salary

$9,595/mo

Teaching spend

$14,141

per student

Federal loans

39%

Classification

Carnegie type

Doctoral University

Research activity

R1 — very high research

$73M research spending · 102 research doctorates a year

Undergraduate profile