ESU vs. UW-La Crosse

Comparable Facts

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

University of Wisconsin La Crosse is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (10,446 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 La Crosse is in La Crosse, WI (Small City setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Wisconsin La Crosse is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; University of Wisconsin La Crosse 20:1.

ESU vs. UW-La Crosse Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or UW-La Crosse? 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 La Crosse than ESU ($14,712 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin La Crosse are 20.5% lower than at Emporia State University ($8,702 vs. $10,950).
• University of Wisconsin La Crosse is 41.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $2,964 more per year; $10,070.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.6% higher at UW-La Crosse than at Emporia State University (about $4,098 more per year; $19,517.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at University of Wisconsin La Crosse (92% vs. 44%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Emporia State University students is 32.3% larger than aid received by University of Wisconsin La Crosse students ($5,951 vs. $4,499).

ESU vs. UW-La Crosse Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ESU or UW-La Crosse? 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-La Crosse and ESU .

• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Wisconsin La Crosse 22/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; UW-La Crosse - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman UW-La Crosse students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at ESU (3.41).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than UW-La Crosse (75.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.9% at ESU vs. 43.2% at UW-La Crosse.

ESU vs. UW-La Crosse Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and UW-La Crosse? 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 La Crosse's six-year graduation rate (68%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from University of Wisconsin La Crosse earn a median of about $10,500 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($49,500 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-La Crosse graduates ($19,419 vs. $23,250).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $40 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UW-La Crosse graduates ($200 vs. $240).
• More UW-La Crosse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (80% 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.