East Carolina University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Asheville, North Carolina · Public · Open access
East Carolina University is a public university in Asheville, North Carolina that admits about 94% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $12,865 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Psychology, General, Natural Resources Conservation and Research and Communication and Media Studies, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 3.1 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
East Carolina University is a public institution located in Asheville, North Carolina. For the most recent reporting cycle, East Carolina University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 94%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1247 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $12,865 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether East Carolina University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for East Carolina University?
East Carolina University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores East Carolina University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–660, with an EBRW midpoint near 635. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–29. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
How much does East Carolina University actually cost?
Published tuition is $7,461 for in-state students and $24,809 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $11,018 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $12,865 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 31% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Most popular majors at East Carolina University
The most popular undergraduate programs at East Carolina University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Psychology, General, Natural Resources Conservation and Research and Communication and Media Studies. Across all programs, East Carolina University confers roughly 445 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Psychology, General program report a median income of about $40,008 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology, General | 108 | $40,008 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 59 | $41,988 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 53 | $32,802 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 50 | $57,584 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 47 | $45,049 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 47 | $32,441 |
| English Language and Literature, General | 41 | $35,906 |
| Public Health | 40 | $40,255 |
Is East Carolina University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), East Carolina University disclosed 9 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 3.1 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 2 violent offenses and 6 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in North Carolina parents ask about
- Duke University19% acceptance
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill40% acceptance
- Wake Forest University88% acceptance
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh29% acceptance
- Appalachian State University7% acceptance
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte74% acceptance
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro80% acceptance
- Davidson College64% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like East Carolina University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like East Carolina University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about East Carolina University
What GPA do I need for East Carolina University?
East Carolina University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does East Carolina University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 570–660, with an EBRW midpoint near 635. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 22–29.
How much does East Carolina University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at East Carolina University after grants and scholarships is $12,865 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is East Carolina University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, East Carolina University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at East Carolina University?
East Carolina University accepts about 94% of applicants. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is East Carolina University a public or private school, and where is it located?
East Carolina University is a public institution located in Asheville, North Carolina.
What are the most popular majors at East Carolina University?
The largest undergraduate majors at East Carolina University by annual graduates are Psychology, General, Natural Resources Conservation and Research and Communication and Media Studies. The school awards about 445 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is East Carolina University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
East Carolina University reported 9 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 3.1 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.