Eastern Connecticut State University
Willimantic, Connecticut · Public · 83.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 55/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Eastern Connecticut State University posts an ROI score of 55 in the Below Average Value tier. In-state tuition is $13,928 and out-of-state $17,428, but net price after aid is $21,067 - substantially higher than tuition due to room/board fees, putting four-year cost at $84,268. Earnings climb from $36,800 at six years to $56,469 by year ten, suggesting a real but slow career ramp characteristic of liberal-arts-heavy institutions. The 10.4-year payback period is mediocre, and the 0.659 debt-to-earnings ratio against $24,250 of median debt is the main score-dragger. Bright spots: the 79.5% three-year repayment rate is solid, and completion is 57.5%. Eastern serves as Connecticut's designated public liberal arts university and draws students who want a small-college feel within the state system. ECSU works for students who choose business, accounting, math, or CS tracks; the liberal-arts and humanities programs face the standard low-earnings problem.
Eastern Connecticut State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,928/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $17,428/yr |
| Average net price | $21,067/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $84,268 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $56,469 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 10.4 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 3,418 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $13,928/year ($17,428/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $21,067/year, or roughly $84,268 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $17,654/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,346/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,250, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,800) and comes to 0.66, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $17,654 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,943 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,340 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,109 |
| $110,001+ | $24,346 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $17,654 net per year. Connecticut's Roberta B. Willis Need-Based Grant and Pell Grant stack here, but the actual out-of-pocket can still be substantial. Across four years, that's roughly $70,000 - significant for low-income households.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Slightly inverted: $30,001-$48,000 pays $16,943 (less than the $0-$30K bracket). Then $48,001-$75,000 pays $19,340, $75,001-$110,000 jumps to $21,109. Middle-income Connecticut families face the typical squeeze, paying $77K-$84K over four years.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning $110,001+ pay $24,346 - well above the listed in-state tuition because of housing/fee components.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Eastern Connecticut State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $51,748 | D |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $61,190 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $48,418 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $53,673 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $52,942 | C |
| English Language and Literature | $51,257 | D |
| Social Work | $61,908 | D |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $93,070 | B+ |
| Accounting | $75,235 | C+ |
| Sociology | $55,084 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS is ECSU's standout program: 38 graduates with $93,070 four-year earnings (first-year not reported) against $25,839 median debt - a 0.278 debt-to-earnings ratio and B+ grade, the school's best ROI. Hartford-area insurance IT (Travelers, Hartford Financial, Aetna), defense contractors (Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky), and Boston-spillover tech employers absorb ECSU CS grads at strong starting pay. For Connecticut students choosing this major, ECSU is a genuine value play.
Accounting
Accounting graduates 38 students per year with $42,549 first-year and $75,235 four-year earnings, $23,250 debt, 0.546 ratio, C+ grade. Hartford has a large concentration of accounting employers thanks to insurance and reinsurance firms. CPA-track graduates from ECSU find roles at regional firms, Big Four offices, and corporate accounting departments. The 76% earnings ramp from year one to year four is strong.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (16 graduates) shows $43,250 first-year and $77,395 four-year earnings against $26,500 debt - a 0.613 ratio and C grade. Like accounting, the Hartford-area financial-services labor market provides a strong pipeline. The 79% earnings growth into year four is excellent, signaling real career progression into analyst and senior-analyst roles. Students serious about finance should target Hartford insurance/reinsurance firms during enrollment.
Psychology
Psychology is ECSU's largest program (92 graduates) with $29,403 first-year and $51,748 four-year earnings against $25,779 debt - a 0.877 ratio and D grade. The standard psychology problem at scale: undergraduate-only psych grads earn poorly and the modal outcome leaves students with debt and weak income. Students should plan for graduate school in clinical psych, school psych, or counseling, or pivot to social work where licensure pathways are clearer.
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
Allied Health (63 graduates) shows $32,962 first-year and $61,190 four-year earnings against $26,000 debt - a 0.789 ratio and D grade. The 86% earnings ramp into year four suggests graduates do progress into stable healthcare roles, but starting earnings are modest. This is a feeder major for nursing programs, PA school, and PT/OT graduate programs; the bachelor's alone delivers weaker ROI than direct nursing or technical paths.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 75.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 78.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Eastern Connecticut State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 83.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 530-610 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 540-650 |
| Enrollment | 3,418 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $11,210 |
ECSU admits 83% of applicants, with SAT mid-50% bands of Math 530-610 and Reading 540-650. ACT data is not reported. The SAT bands describe a moderately prepared Connecticut high-school applicant pool - not selective enough to drive strong completion. The 57.5% completion rate is consistent with this profile. Prepared, full-time Connecticut students who arrive with college-prep coursework tend to finish on time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Connecticut State University (this school) | 55 | $21,067 | $56,469 |
| Charter Oak State College | 77 | $15,815 | $64,209 |
| Central Connecticut State University | 63 | $16,857 | $58,562 |
| CUNY Medgar Evers College | 56 | $5,718 | $46,498 |
| Vermont State University | 55 | $18,212 | $50,331 |
| Indiana University-Southeast | 52 | $7,888 | $47,596 |
Who Thrives Here
ECSU fits Connecticut students who want a small public university (3,418 enrollment) with a residential, traditional college experience. Outcomes look strongest for CS ($93K four-year), accounting ($75K), and finance ($77K) graduates - those programs feed Hartford's insurance and financial-services labor market reliably. Liberal arts majors face weaker outcomes, as expected.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Eastern Connecticut State University is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $21,067 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $56,469 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 10.4 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $24,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Eastern Connecticut State University: Common Questions
Is Eastern Connecticut State University worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Eastern Connecticut State University scores 55/100 on our ROI scale. At $21,067 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $56,469 ten years after entry, so it takes about 10.4 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Eastern Connecticut State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $21,067 a year, or roughly $84,268 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Eastern Connecticut State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $56,469 ten years after enrolling, roughly $14,669 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Eastern Connecticut State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 10.4 years for Eastern Connecticut State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Eastern Connecticut State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,250, against average earnings of $36,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Eastern Connecticut State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 57.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.