Public · Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University

East Carolina University is a public institution in Greenville, North Carolina. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$15,739
Avg net price / yr
$55,146
10-yr median earnings
62.4%
150%-time completion
89.2%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

East Carolina University pairs top-quartile former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 21%
former-student earnings, US
89.2%
acceptance rate
62.4%
150%-time completion
+19%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small Carnegie: R2
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this East Carolina University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

C+
College Value Score
60/100
East Carolina University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings B+
$55,146
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C
$15,739
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate C
62.4%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$22,750
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B+
72.7%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention B-
82.7%
First-year students returning for year two
East Carolina University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$55,146

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$15,739

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

62.4%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 62.4%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - East Carolina University vs peers

East Carolina University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. East Carolina University positioned by earni… Carnegie Classification: R2 R2 COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $32K $76K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $21K Avg Net Price ($) East Carolina University (you are here): $55K earn · $16K net · 62% grad You are here - East Carolina Univ… Wake Technical Community College: $42K earn · $9K net · 32% grad Wake Technical Com… Appalachian State University: $52K earn · $17K net · 74% grad Appalachian State … University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: $72K earn · $12K net · 92% grad University of Nort… University of North Carolina at Charlotte: $57K earn · $15K net · 68% grad University of Nort… Central Piedmont Community College: $38K earn · $3K net · 29% grad Central Piedmont C… University of North Carolina Wilmington: $55K earn · $20K net · 71% grad Pitt Community College: $37K earn · $7K net · 31% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How East Carolina University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

East Carolina University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$55,146 Top 21% higher than 79% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric East Carolina University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $55,146 #1090 of 5103 79th
Average net price $15,739 #2229 of 5020 56th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 62.4% #2028 of 4858 58th
Undergraduate enrollment 19,896 #134 of 5462 98th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

19,896
Undergraduate enrollment
89.2%
Acceptance rate
1,180
SAT average
62.4%
150%-time completion
$55,146
10-yr median earnings
82.7%
First-year retention

How East Carolina University ranks in North Carolina

State rank among 147 reporting North Carolina colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric East Carolina University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $55,146 #14 of 147 90th
Average net price $15,739 #82 of 146 44th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 62.4% #31 of 142 78th
Undergraduate enrollment 19,896 #4 of 153 97th

Highest former-student earnings in North Carolina

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Duke University$97,800$29,612
2Chamberlain University-North Carolina$92,405$38,436
3Davidson College$81,400$17,379
4Wake Forest University$78,158$28,719
5Elon University$74,545$41,555
6University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill$72,200$11,655
7North Carolina State University at Raleigh$68,758$17,303
8Carolinas College of Health Sciences$64,624-
9Galen Health Institutes-Asheville$61,480$28,602
10High Point University$61,389$38,707
11Cabarrus College of Health Sciences$58,708$17,618
12Queens University of Charlotte$57,673$30,857
14East Carolina UniversityThis school$55,146$15,739

Admissions

Admission Rate 89.2%
SAT Average 1,180
SAT Math (25th-75th) 530 – 610
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 540 – 630
ACT (25th-75th) 21 – 26
0%100%89.2%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at East Carolina University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at East Carolina University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $7,361
Out-of-State Tuition $23,638
Average Net Price $15,739
31.8%
Pell Grant Rate
38.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$22,750
Median Debt
$241/mo
Monthly Payment

2013–2023: what East Carolina University costs has stayed close to flat

Average net price moved +17.5% over 10 years, from $14,059 to $16,514 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $14,0592014: $14,9812015: $15,4502016: $15,2032017: $15,4152018: $16,5062019: $15,8442020: $16,5502021: $16,1622022: $16,7032023: $16,514
2013 · $14,0592023 · $16,514

Over the same years, enrollment went -3.7% (20,625 → 19,857 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

59.3%
Female
26.5%
First Generation

Outcomes

82.7%
Retention Rate
$46,420
Median Earnings (6yr)
69.7%
Earning Over $25K
72.7%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 62.4%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 82.7%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $46,420
Median earnings 10 years after entry $55,146
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 69.7%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 72.7%
Median federal student debt At completion $22,750
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $241/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 55 4,641 $59,701 $98,406 $23,259
Master's 30 1,110 $71,936 $119,911 $36,884
Graduate Certificate 10 258 $83,642 $104,657 $39,776
Doctoral 5 46 $100,311 $124,244 $43,921
First Professional 2 135 $166,180 $187,926 $139,434

Top programs at East Carolina University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Dentistry First Professional 51 $187,926 $126,524
Medicine First Professional 84 $144,434 $152,343
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Doctoral 8 $124,244 $37,063
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Master's 95 $119,911 $41,971
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Master's 33 $119,891 $59,895
Business Administration, Management and Operations Graduate Certificate 96 $104,657 -
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management Master's - $101,137 -
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 224 $98,563 $34,643
Computer Science Bachelor's 52 $98,406 $24,750
Educational Administration and Supervision Doctoral 27 $98,079 $46,054
Accounting and Related Services Master's 48 $92,702 $20,500
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 46 $90,197 $26,853
Marketing Graduate Certificate 57 $89,219 -
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other Bachelor's 123 $87,848 $20,500
Engineering, General Bachelor's 87 $84,847 $24,342

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at East Carolina University?
East Carolina University is a public institution in Greenville, North Carolina. The acceptance rate is 89.2%. The average SAT score is 1,180. Undergraduate enrollment is 19,896 students.
How much do East Carolina University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at East Carolina University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $55,146 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $46,420.
How much does East Carolina University cost?
The average net price at East Carolina University is $15,739. In-state tuition is $7,361 and out-of-state tuition is $23,638. Median student debt at graduation is $22,750.
What is the graduation rate at East Carolina University?
East Carolina University has a 62.4% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 82.7%.
Is East Carolina University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at East Carolina University is $22,750, while former students earn a median of $55,146 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 41% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 72.7% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $241.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from East Carolina University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.