ESU vs. UW-Eau Claire

Comparable Facts

Compare Emporia State University in Emporia, KS with University of Wisconsin Eau Claire in Eau Claire, WI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (10,049 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 Wisconsin Eau Claire is in Eau Claire, WI (Small City setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; University of Wisconsin Eau Claire 19:1.

ESU vs. UW-Eau Claire Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or UW-Eau Claire? 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 University of Wisconsin Eau Claire than ESU ($15,151 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire are 18% lower than at Emporia State University ($8,978 vs. $10,950).
• University of Wisconsin Eau Claire is 35.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $2,536 more per year; $9,642.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.7% higher at UW-Eau Claire than at Emporia State University (about $3,809 more per year; $19,228.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at University of Wisconsin Eau Claire (92% vs. 52%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Emporia State University students is 5.1% larger than aid received by University of Wisconsin Eau Claire students ($5,951 vs. $5,663).

ESU vs. UW-Eau Claire Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or UW-Eau Claire? 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 UW-Eau Claire and ESU .

• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Wisconsin Eau Claire 21/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; UW-Eau Claire - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: UW-Eau Claire Aug 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman UW-Eau Claire students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at ESU (3.41).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than UW-Eau Claire (82.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.9% at ESU vs. 28.1% at UW-Eau Claire.

ESU vs. UW-Eau Claire Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and UW-Eau Claire? 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 Wisconsin Eau Claire's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from University of Wisconsin Eau Claire earn a median of about $8,900 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($47,900 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $3,831 lower median loan debt than UW-Eau Claire graduates ($19,419 vs. $23,250).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UW-Eau Claire graduates ($200 vs. $240).
• More UW-Eau Claire graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (76% 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.