Blackburn College vs. ESU

Comparable Facts

Compare Blackburn College in Carlinville, IL with Emporia State University in Emporia, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Emporia State University is larger than Blackburn College based on total student enrollment (4,557 students vs. 513 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Blackburn College is located in Carlinville, IL (Rural Fringe setting); Emporia State University is in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting).
• Blackburn College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Blackburn College 11:1; Emporia State University 16:1.

Blackburn College vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Blackburn College or ESU ? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Emporia State University than Blackburn College ($16,094 vs. $18,460).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Blackburn College are 9.5% lower than at Emporia State University ($9,915 vs. $10,950).
• Blackburn College is 296.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $21,043 more per year; $28,149.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 82.6% higher at Blackburn College than at Emporia State University (about $12,730 more per year; $28,149.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Blackburn College than at Emporia State University (100% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Blackburn College students is 226.9% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($19,456 vs. $5,951).

Blackburn College vs. ESU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Blackburn College or ESU ? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between ESU and Blackburn College.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Blackburn College 888/1125.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Blackburn College 16/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Blackburn College - Test-free; ESU - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Blackburn College (3.23).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than Blackburn College (63.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 25.7% at Blackburn College vs. 22.9% at ESU .

Blackburn College vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Blackburn College and ESU ? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Blackburn College's six-year graduation rate (48%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from Blackburn College earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($40,400 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $6,581 lower median loan debt than Blackburn College graduates ($19,419 vs. $26,000).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $68 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Blackburn College graduates ($200 vs. $268).
• More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Blackburn College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 58%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.