East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN · Public · Small city · Carnegie R1/R2 · ETSU
Public institution in Johnson City, TN · 9,807 undergraduates · 87% acceptance rate · $44,859 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 12%Undergraduates
- Top 24%Out-of-state tuition & fees
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $15,794740th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $9,950589th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $13,790483rd cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $25,947745th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $19,442567th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $44,8591,362nd highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $38,7041,309th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 49.9%1,156th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 73.9%1,022nd highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 87.1%1,132nd most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1114646th highest of 1,022 reporting
- Median ACT
- 23493rd highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 9,807262nd largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 18.0:11,696th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 35.2%925th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 110 mi (CLT)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 47 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $53,775 | $56,867 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $51,760 | $51,712 |
| Engineering Technology, GeneralEngineering Technology | bachelors | $51,392 | $52,107 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | $45,305 | $45,852 |
| Engineering-Related TechnologiesEngineering Technology | bachelors | $44,971 | — |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherHealth Professions | bachelors | $40,821 | $44,117 |
| ChemistryPhysical Sciences | bachelors | $39,927 | $29,685 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $38,529 | $36,848 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsHealth Professions | bachelors | $38,529 | — |
| Special Education and TeachingEducation | bachelors | $38,289 | $36,848 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $37,208 | $32,747 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $35,416 | $38,289 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1911source
- Athletic nickname: "Buccaneers"source
- Competes in Southern Conferencesource
- Mascot: Buckysource
- Motto: ""Graduation Begins Today""source
- Formerly known as "East Tennessee State Normal School" (1911–1925)source
- Formerly known as "East Tennessee State Teachers College" (1925–1930)source
- Formerly known as "East Tennessee State Teacher's College, Johnson City" (1930–1943)source
- Formerly known as "East Tennessee State College" (1943–1963)source
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]]}} institutionsource
- Fight song: ""ETSU Fight Song""source
- Notable alum: Kenny Chesneysource
- Notable alum: Besse Coopersource
Athletics — 12 sports
NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $5,447,181 (M $3,668,260 · W $1,778,921)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Other Sports
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to East Tennessee State University’s 9,807 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In TN
- The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaChattanooga, TN · 9,878 undergrads
- Tennessee Technological UniversityCookeville, TN · 8,495 undergrads
- Austin Peay State UniversityClarksville, TN · 7,365 undergrads
- Belmont UniversityNashville, TN · 7,306 undergrads
- Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, TN · 7,143 undergrads
- Tennessee State UniversityNashville, TN · 6,498 undergrads
Elsewhere
- Fort Hays State UniversityHays, KS · 9,792 undergrads
- Boston CollegeChestnut Hill, MA · 9,865 undergrads
- Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, NC · 9,867 undergrads
- St. John's University-New YorkQueens, NY · 9,742 undergrads
- National UniversitySan Diego, CA · 9,725 undergrads
- University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS · 9,899 undergrads
Key links
- Official websiteetsu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 220075)
- Compare colleges in TNRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in TennesseeEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: East Tennessee State University vs The University of Tennessee-ChattanoogaHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 12 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.