ESU vs. KU

Should I go to Emporia State University or University of Kansas? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ESU or KU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Emporia State University vs. University of Kansas comparison
Emporia State University University of Kansas College 3 College 4
Emporia State University University of Kansas
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Overview

ESU KU
Location Emporia, KS Lawrence, KS
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 5,324 26,708
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emporia.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ESU KU
Tuition (In State) $5,278 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $13,195 $26,960
Room & Board $9,308 $10,136
Avg Net Price $14,854 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $5,345 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 87%

Admission

ESU KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,846 16,204
Admitted 1,766 14,234
Acceptance Rate 95.7% 87.8%
Enrolled % 30.4% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28
SAT Range 1090/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

ESU KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

ESU KU
Graduation Rate 43% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,419 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $200 $211

Diversity

ESU KU
% Men 33% 45%
% Women 67% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 70% 72%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 8% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

ESU KU
% In-State 89% 58%
% Out-of-State 11% 39%

Campus

ESU KU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than ESU based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 5,324 students)

ESU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or KU?

  • University of Kansas is 91.2% more expensive to attend than ESU for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $5,278.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.3% higher at KU than Emporia State University ($26,960.00 vs. $13,195.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Emporia State University than KU ($14,854 vs. $18,950)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 8.9% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($9,308 vs. $10,136)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emporia State University than University of Kansas (89% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 108.4% larger than aid received Emporia State University ($11,140 vs. $5,345)

ESU vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or ESU .

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 115 points higher than at ESU (1030)
  • Incoming KU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ESU (22)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at ESU (3.41)
  • ESU has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than KU (87.8%)

ESU vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ESU or KU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between KU and ESU .

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than Emporia State University (61% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $15,600 more per year than ESU graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $39,000)
  • Emporia State University students graduate with a $1,081 lower median federal student loan debt than KU graduates. ($19,419 vs. $20,500)
  • ESU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than KU graduates. ($200 vs. $211)
  • More KU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 59%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/