Cal State East Bay vs. ESU

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University East Bay in Hayward, CA with Emporia State University in Emporia, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University East Bay is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (12,326 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University East Bay is located in Hayward, CA (Midsize City setting); Emporia State University is in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting).
• California State University East Bay is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University East Bay 22:1; Emporia State University 16:1.

Cal State East Bay vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cal State East Bay 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 California State University East Bay than ESU ($9,850 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 38.6% lower than at California State University East Bay ($10,950 vs. $17,831).
• California State University East Bay is 6.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $477 more per year; $7,583.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 30.9% higher at Cal State East Bay than at Emporia State University (about $4,764 more per year; $20,183.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at California State University East Bay (92% vs. 79%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University East Bay students is 107.8% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($12,369 vs. $5,951).

Cal State East Bay vs. ESU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cal State East Bay 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 Cal State East Bay.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cal State East Bay - Test-free; ESU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State East Bay Oct 1, 2026.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Cal State East Bay (3.2).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than Cal State East Bay (97.4%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 6.9% at Cal State East Bay vs. 22.9% at ESU .

Cal State East Bay vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cal State East Bay 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).

• The graduation rate at Cal State East Bay is the same as at Emporia State University (43% vs. 43%).
• Graduates from California State University East Bay earn a median of about $16,300 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University East Bay graduates have a $3,087 lower median loan debt than ESU graduates ($16,332 vs. $19,419).
• Among borrowers, Cal State East Bay graduates have an estimated $32 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ESU graduates ($168 vs. $200).
• More Cal State East Bay graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 59%)

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.