ESU vs. UCO-Central

Comparable Facts

Compare Emporia State University in Emporia, KS with University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, OK on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Central Oklahoma is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (12,554 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Emporia State University is located in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting); University of Central Oklahoma is in Edmond, OK (Large Suburban setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Central Oklahoma is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; University of Central Oklahoma 18:1.

ESU vs. UCO-Central Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or UCO-Central? 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 UCO-Central ($16,094 vs. $18,660).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Oklahoma are 11.4% lower than at Emporia State University ($9,700 vs. $10,950).
• University of Central Oklahoma is 24.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $1,712 more per year; $8,818.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 27.8% higher at UCO-Central than at Emporia State University (about $4,285 more per year; $19,704.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at University of Central Oklahoma (92% vs. 81%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Oklahoma students is 20.2% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($7,152 vs. $5,951).

ESU vs. UCO-Central Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or UCO-Central? 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 UCO-Central and ESU .

• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Central Oklahoma 18/24.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; UCO-Central - Required.
• Accepted freshman UCO-Central students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at ESU (3.41).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than UCO-Central (78.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.9% at ESU vs. 42.9% at UCO-Central.

ESU vs. UCO-Central Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and UCO-Central? 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).

• Emporia State University's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than University of Central Oklahoma's (36%).
• Graduates from University of Central Oklahoma earn a median of about $5,600 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,600 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $974 lower median loan debt than UCO-Central graduates ($19,419 vs. $20,393).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UCO-Central graduates ($200 vs. $210).
• More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCO-Central students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 54%)

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.