Points of Pride
Mission Statement
Elizabeth City State University ensures access to excellent, student-centered, experiential
learning. ECSU offers bachelor's, professional, and master's degrees. Through practical
education, applied research, and public and private partnerships, we prepare a diverse
student body for personal and professional success to positively impact the region,
state, nation, and beyond.
Vision Statement
ECSU, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina, will be the premier public institution serving northeastern North Carolina, providing affordable academic programs and services of exceptional caliber in a nurturing environment. The university will attract and retain a diverse and highly-qualified faculty that will educate and lead our students to become productive members of a global and increasingly interdependent society. ECSU will continue to be a leading partner in enhancing educational and cultural opportunities and improving the economic strength in the region.
Our Core Values
ECSU is guided by a commitment to excellence, which is exemplified in the subsequent group of core values the university strives to demonstrate and maintain.
- Accountability - being responsible for our actions is part of the ECSU ethos. Administration, faculty, staff and students endeavor to expand continuously on the Quality already in existence at the university;
- Diversity - Diversity of viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds are critical tools of a quality education in the global marketplace;
- Excellence - Excellence is the measure for teaching, learning, and service to the university community; and
Preparing students holistically - the full measure of personal, professional, and social development of our students, faculty, and staff is an integral part of the ECSU philosophy which is "to live is to learn."
Points of Pride is a one-page summary of Elizabeth City State University’s latest
accolades. It is updated annually and boasts the most recent news and awards from
departments throughout the institution.
ECSU is a nationally ranked and recognized institution for its commitment to delivering
a quality learning experience.
Here are just a few of our recent honors:
NC Promise Campus
Elizabeth City State University is a proud NC Promise campus committed to providing an affordable, high-quality education. NC Promise dramatically reduces the expense of your college education, saving students at least $7,400 in-state and $44,000 out-of-state over their 4 years at ECSU.
NC Promise = $500 tuition per semester (in-state) and $2,500 tuition per semester (out-of-state)
#1 HBCU in the nation for helping students from lower-income households achieve economic success (2022)
Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is the #1 historically black college and university (HBCU) in the United States for helping students from lower- and moderate-income households achieve economic success. The university ranked #12 overall in the nation in the newly-released Out With the Old, In With the New: Rating Higher Ed by Economic Mobility report by national think tank Third Way, which was also featured in Forbes magazine. Read More.
#1 Most Affordable Four-year HBCU in the U.S.
Student Loan Hero ranks ECSU the #1 most affordable four-year HBCU in the United States. Of the top five, the only four-year college. Read More.
#4 U.S. News and World Report-Public Schools in the Regional South (2021)
U.S. News and World Report has ranks Elizabeth City State University among the top ten Top Public School in the Regional College South for its 2021 Best Colleges list.
In addition, U.S. News and World Report ranks ECSU: #10 Top Performers in Social Mobility, #22 Top in the nation for HBCUs, #33 Best Regional College, South, US News & World Report, 2021
#13 Bachelor's Degree Colleges Nationwide (2021)
Washington Monthly ranks Elizabeth City State University one of the southeast United States’ 2021 Best Bang for the Buck colleges. According to the Washington Monthly, ECSU ranks number 13 & 18 in the top 20 list. Read More
#5 Military Friendly® School (2021-22)
Elizabeth City State University has, for the sixth time, been ranked as one of the nation’s Military Friendly Schools for small public universities, ranking 5th in the nation for small schools. ECSU has been ranked for its service to the men and women who serve or have served in the United States military. Read More.
#4 Best Historically Black Colleges (2021)
Best of the Best Top Veteran-Friendly Schools (2021)
#5 Best in the Nation Graphic Design Program - Study.com (2021)
Study.com, the online learning platform, has ranked Elizabeth City State University’s graphic design degree program as the fifth in the nation out 50 schools for its 2021 Best Bachelor’s Degree Programs in Graphic Design ranking. Read More.
#1 Most Afforable Accounting Program - UniversityHQ.org (2021)
The college ranking website UniversityHQ.org has named Elizabeth City State University the number one most affordable accounting program in the country. Read More.
Top 50 in Nation Criminal Justice Program - Study.com (2021)
Study.com, the online learning platform, has ranked Elizabeth City State University in its top 50 best criminal justice programs in the nation. ECSU’s criminal justice program has been ranked 28th. Read More.
Top 50 Most Affordable Schools in the Nation - Intelligent.com (2021)
Elizabeth City State University has been ranked one of the top 50 most affordable schools in the country for 2021, coming in at fifth on the list in addition to being ranked a “Best HBCU.” Read More.
#1 Most Affordable Early Childhood Education Degree Program - Discover Early Childhood EDU (2021)
Elizabeth City State University has been ranked as the number one most affordable early childhood education degree program in the nation by Discover Early Childhood EDU. Read More.
Ranked One of Top Most Affordable Computer Science Programs in the Country (2021)
The college ranking website UniversityHQ.org has named Elizabeth City State University one of the top most affordable computer science program in the country. Read More.
Points of Pride updated by the Office of Communications and Marketing