Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City State University's published cost of attendance is $17,701. Net price by income band reveals how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $4,246, middle-income families pay around $5,354, and higher-income families pay approximately $15,663.

Azimuth ranks Elizabeth City State University #90 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

As a public regional university, Elizabeth City State University participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state financial aid programs. Families apply for need-based aid using the FAFSA, and the university works to close the gap between published cost and what families actually pay through grant and scholarship funding.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,463, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $10,645; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $50,194, median federal debt of $21,463 projects to a monthly payment of about $243 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Elizabeth City State University earn median 4-year earnings of $50,194, placing Elizabeth City State University in the 10.4 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $8,499 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Elizabeth City State University in the 24.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Elizabeth City State University #1251 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These figures represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928 (the state median earnings of working adults with only a high school credential).

The earnings pattern centers on business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 44 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $49,903, performing at 0.7× the national benchmark for the field.

The Criminal Justice program graduates 41 students earning $50,239, while Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies and Kinesiology together account for substantial enrollment with Kinesiology graduates earning $48,398 at 0.9× the benchmark. Biology, General rounds out the top programs with 23 graduates earning $53,625.

The concentration in Business reflects the institution's primary academic focus and aligns with regional employer demand in North Carolina's coastal labor market.

Elizabeth City State University offers a program mix anchored in business, education, and applied professional fields—a portfolio aligned with the institution's regional mission as a public comprehensive university serving eastern North Carolina. Business Administration is the largest program with 44 graduates annually, followed by Criminal Justice, Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Kinesiology, and Biology, General.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 287 students annually, the institution concentrates strength in Business and related applied fields. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's focus on workforce-ready credentials.

Computer Science leads with median earnings of $68,723 four years after enrollment among 13 graduates, while Biology, General graduates earn $53,625 and Criminal Justice graduates earn $50,239. Business Administration, the institution's largest program, delivers median earnings of $49,903 for 44 graduates—a solid outcome that reflects the program's scale and regional employer demand.

Kinesiology and Biology, General round out the top enrollments with 27 and 23 graduates respectively, earning $48,398 and $53,625. Several of these programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes in fields like Business, nursing, and applied technology.

Others, particularly education and social-science-oriented majors, are pathways where some graduates continue to graduate or professional study, meaning four-year earnings may undercount lifetime trajectory. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Elizabeth City State University's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market demand.