ESU vs. KU

Comparable Facts

Compare Emporia State University in Emporia, KS with University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Kansas is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (29,792 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 Kansas is in Lawrence, KS (Small City setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Kansas is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; University of Kansas 18:1.

ESU vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or KU? 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 KU ($16,094 vs. $19,205).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 3.6% lower than at University of Kansas ($10,950 vs. $11,358).
• University of Kansas is 70.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $4,996 more per year; $12,102.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 97.4% higher at KU than at Emporia State University (about $15,013 more per year; $30,432.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at University of Kansas (92% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 93.9% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($11,541 vs. $5,951).

ESU vs. KU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or KU? 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 KU and ESU .

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Kansas 1070/1300.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Kansas 20/28.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; KU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: KU Aug 15, 2027.
• 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 (97.7%) than KU (93.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.9% at ESU vs. 25.5% at KU.

ESU vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and KU? 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).

• University of Kansas's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from University of Kansas earn a median of about $15,600 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($54,600 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $1,081 lower median loan debt than KU graduates ($19,419 vs. $20,500).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.