ESU vs. WSC

Comparable Facts

Compare Emporia State University in Emporia, KS with Wayne State College in Wayne, NE on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Wayne State College is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (4,666 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Emporia State University is located in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting); Wayne State College is in Wayne, NE (Rural Fringe setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Wayne State College is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; Wayne State College 19:1.

ESU vs. WSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or WSC? 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 Wayne State College than ESU ($16,060 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wayne State College are 7.4% lower than at Emporia State University ($10,142 vs. $10,950).
• Wayne State College is 15.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $1,110 more per year; $8,216.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 87.7% higher at ESU than at Wayne State College (about $7,203 more per year; $15,419.00 vs. $8,216.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Wayne State College than at Emporia State University (95% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Wayne State College students is 9.5% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($6,517 vs. $5,951).

ESU vs. WSC Admissions comparison

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

• Wayne State College reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; WSC - Open admission.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at WSC (3.36).

ESU vs. WSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and WSC? 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).

• Wayne State College's six-year graduation rate (51%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from Wayne State College earn a median of about $400 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,400 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $631 lower median loan debt than WSC graduates ($19,419 vs. $20,050).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $7 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than WSC graduates ($200 vs. $207).
• More WSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (67% 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.