Elizabeth City State University Ranked Number 4 in Top 10 Hbcus in the Nation

Elizabeth City State University has been ranked number 4 in Best Colleges top 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the nation. The college ranking website’s 2021 list was released this week.

“This is exciting news and an honor well-earned by ECSU’s faculty and staff,” said ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon.

According to Best Colleges, rankings are based upon academic quality, affordability, and online competency.

To determine academic quality, Best Colleges states that it focuses on a school’s admission rate and enrollment rate “to gauge the rigor and competitiveness of a school.” Academic quality is 50 percent of the overall ranking score.

“We use full-time retention rate (the rate at which students return after their freshman year) to rank a school’s effectiveness in keeping students enrolled,” reads the website. ECSU’s retention rate is 75.6 percent.

Graduation rate is also a major factor, “weighing how many enrolled students successfully complete their degree program.”

Next, Best Colleges looks at a school’s affordability rate. The affordability rate accounts for 25 percent of the overall ranking score.

“Our affordability score considers the cost of the program with the amount borrowed and the ability to repay a loan after graduation,” reads the website. “Our goal is to reward schools not only offering competitive tuition, but also providing students with the skills needed to graduate and successfully enter the workforce.”

ECSU is an NC Promise School, offering $500 per semester in-state tuition.

The final assessment comes with a focus on a school’s online offerings and is 25 percent of the overall ranking score. Best Colleges first looks at the percentage of total degree programs offered online and its commitment to distance learning, then the percentage of students enrolled in online classes as an indicator in the school’s investment in remote learners.

ECSU currently offers several online degree programs, including Homeland Security and Interdisciplinary Studies.