East Tennessee State University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at East Tennessee State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

15:1
Student to faculty ratio
39%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

ETSU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Honors Programs

East Tennessee State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on ETSU's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at East Tennessee State University:

72%
First-year retention rate
39%
4-year grad rate
55%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are East Tennessee State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Psychology, General
Business Administration and Management, General
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
-9.6
109.92
229.44
348.96
468.48
588

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Women's Studies 0
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 90
  • Microbiology, General 12
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 120
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 76
  • Accounting 46
  • Finance, General 42
  • Business/Managerial Economics 11
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 1
Communication
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 64
Communications Technologies/Technicians And Support Services
  • Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects 49
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 78
Education
  • Teacher Education, Multiple Levels 73
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 17
Engineering
  • Engineering, General 4
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 42
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 42
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 42
  • Surveying Technology/Surveying 20
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 35
  • Rhetoric and Composition 12
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Child Development 35
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 7
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 588
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 78
  • Rehabilitation Science 43
  • Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 42
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 34
  • Dental Hygiene/Hygienist 34
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 14
  • Pharmacy 13
  • Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist 11
  • Public Health, General 9
  • Environmental Health 8
History
  • History, General 39
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 63
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 95
  • General Studies 5
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 9
Parks
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 69
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 38
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 2
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 18
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 13
  • Physics, General 4
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 135
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Human Services, General 46
  • Human Services, General 46
  • PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONS 46
  • Social Work 44
Social Sciences
  • Sociology, General 30
  • Political Science and Government, General 24
  • Anthropology, General 7
  • International Relations and Affairs 5
  • Geography 0
  • Economics, General 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Music, General 23
  • Art/Art Studies, General 22
  • Graphic Design 15
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 11
  • Interior Design 11
  • Musicology and Ethnomusicology 4

Mistakes were made

(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2025 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service