More selective than 67% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $17,701. College Scorecard.
Higher than 27% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 31% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 19% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 13% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
ECSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 5,360 applicants, Elizabeth City State University admitted 3,778 and 347 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1080 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
ECSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Carolina residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What ECSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Elizabeth City State University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $4,246 | $18,767 | 2.9 years |
| $30–48k | $4,538 | $20,058 | 3.1 years |
| $48–75k | $5,354 | $23,665 | 3.6 years |
| $75–110k | $10,205 | $45,106 | 6.9 years |
| $110k+ | $15,663 | $69,230 | 10.6 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (30% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($40,026) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $6,510 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
ECSU majors, earnings & careers
Elizabeth City State University offers 27 bachelor's majors across 11 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Science & Math · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Education · 3
- Humanities & Languages · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
- Trades & Applied Technology · 1
Highest-earning majors at ECSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $68,723 | — |
| Biology | $53,625 | — |
| Criminal Justice | $50,239 | $23,903 |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $50,146 | — |
| Business Administration | $49,903 | $26,576 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $48,398 | — |
| Social Work | $45,224 | $25,467 |
Quick list of all 27 majors
- Accounting—
- Air Transportation—
- Biology$53,625
- Business Administration$49,903
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer Science$68,723
- Criminal Justice$50,239
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$50,146
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Engineering / Engineering-Related Technologies / Technicians, Other—
- English—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- History—
- Homeland Security—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,398
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Political Science—
- Psychology—
- Social Work$45,224
- Sociology—
- Special Education—
- Sustainability Studies—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Criminal Justice → Police officer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Elizabeth City
2 bedrooms $1,220.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 51 inches of rain a year, almost no snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Pasquotank County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Pasquotank County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare ECSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth City State University | 64% | $6,364 | 44% | $40,026 | This school |
| Winston-Salem State University | 78% | $13,479 | 47% | $45,344 | |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | 92% | $12,250 | 54% | $44,030 | |
| Fayetteville State University | 82% | $7,892 | 38% | $40,144 | |
| North Carolina Central University | 87% | $15,359 | 42% | $42,968 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Elizabeth City State University would cost you $7,115 less per year than Winston-Salem State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Elizabeth City State University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$2,405).
- Elizabeth City State University gives aided families $1,669 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | ECSU | WSSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $6,536 | $6,126 | +$410 |
| Books & supplies | $1,240 | $1,690 | −$450 |
| Housing & meals | $9,079 | $11,484 | −$2,405 |
| Personal & travel | $1,350 | $3,492 | −$2,142 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$504 | +$355 | −$859 |
| Sticker price | $17,701 | $23,147 | −$5,446 |
| Average grants | −$11,337 | −$9,668 | −$1,669 |
| You pay | $6,364 | $13,479 | −$7,115 |
“+” means ECSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about ECSU
What is the ECSU acceptance rate?
Elizabeth City State University accepts 64% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,778 of 5,360 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 920–1080 on the SAT or 16–22 on the ACT.
How much does Elizabeth City State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $17,701 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $6,364 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $4,246 and families earning $110k+ pay $15,663.
How much do ECSU graduates earn?
Former Elizabeth City State University students earn a median $40,026 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the ECSU graduation rate?
44% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year.
How long does a ECSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Elizabeth City State University costs about $23,665 after grants ($5,354 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $40,026 ten years after starting, $6,510 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 3.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Elizabeth City State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).