Iowa Wesleyan College vs. ESU

Should I go to Iowa Wesleyan College or Emporia State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Iowa Wesleyan College or ESU 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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Iowa Wesleyan College vs. Emporia State University comparison
Iowa Wesleyan College Emporia State University College 3 College 4
Iowa Wesleyan College Emporia State University
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Overview

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
Location Mount Pleasant, IA Emporia, KS
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 871 5,324
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iwc.edu emporia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
Tuition (In State) $33,550 $5,278
Tuition (Out of State) $33,550 $13,195
Room & Board $11,340 $9,308
Avg Net Price $20,074 $14,854
Avg Grant Aid $26,670 $5,345
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 89%

Admission

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,975 1,846
Admitted 2,404 1,766
Acceptance Rate 80.8% 95.7%
Enrolled % 8% 30.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.02 3.41
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/22
SAT Range 830/1010
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

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (19%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Education (27%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
Graduation Rate 25% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,900 $39,000
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,419
Median Loan Payment $258 $200

Diversity

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
% Men 56% 33%
% Women 44% 67%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 52% 70%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 24% 1%

Students

Iowa Wesleyan College ESU
% In-State 25% 89%
% Out-of-State 60% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emporia State University is larger than than Iowa Wesleyan College based on total student enrollment (5,324 students vs. 871 students)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa Wesleyan College or ESU ?

  • Iowa Wesleyan College is 535.7% more expensive to attend than ESU for in-state tuition ($33,550.00 vs. $5,278.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 154.3% higher at Iowa Wesleyan College than Emporia State University ($33,550.00 vs. $13,195.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Emporia State University than Iowa Wesleyan College ($14,854 vs. $20,074)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 21.8% lower than costs at Iowa Wesleyan College ($9,308 vs. $11,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa Wesleyan College than Emporia State University (92% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa Wesleyan College students is 399% larger than aid received Emporia State University ($26,670 vs. $5,345)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. ESU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emporia State University (1030) is 81 points higher than at Iowa Wesleyan College (949)
  • Incoming ESU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Iowa Wesleyan College (20)
  • Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Iowa Wesleyan College (3.02)
  • ESU has a higher acceptance rate (95.7%) than Iowa Wesleyan College (80.8%)

Iowa Wesleyan College vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa Wesleyan College or ESU ? 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 ESU and Iowa Wesleyan College.

  • The graduation rate at ESU is higher than Iowa Wesleyan College (43% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from Emporia State University earn on average $2,100 more per year than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates after ten years. ($39,000 vs. $36,900)
  • Emporia State University students graduate with a $5,581 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($19,419 vs. $25,000)
  • ESU graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa Wesleyan College graduates. ($200 vs. $258)
  • More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa Wesleyan College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 55%)

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