UAFS vs. ESU

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Arkansas Fort Smith in Fort Smith, AR with Emporia State University in Emporia, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Arkansas Fort Smith is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (5,496 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is located in Fort Smith, AR (Small City setting); Emporia State University is in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Arkansas Fort Smith 18:1; Emporia State University 16:1.

UAFS vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UAFS or ESU ? 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 Arkansas Fort Smith than ESU ($11,159 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Arkansas Fort Smith are 7.9% lower than at Emporia State University ($10,082 vs. $10,950).
• University of Arkansas Fort Smith is 3.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $228 more per year; $7,334.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 26.6% higher at ESU than at University of Arkansas Fort Smith (about $3,237 more per year; $15,419.00 vs. $12,182.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Arkansas Fort Smith than at Emporia State University (95% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Arkansas Fort Smith students is 29.6% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($7,715 vs. $5,951).

UAFS vs. ESU Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UAFS - Required; ESU - Test optional.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at UAFS (3.39).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than UAFS (80.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 40.2% at UAFS vs. 22.9% at ESU .

UAFS vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UAFS and ESU ? 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).

• Emporia State University's six-year graduation rate (43%) is higher than University of Arkansas Fort Smith's (23%).
• Graduates from Emporia State University earn a median of about $4,000 more per year than UAFS graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $35,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Arkansas Fort Smith graduates have a $5,287 lower median loan debt than ESU graduates ($14,132 vs. $19,419).
• Among borrowers, UAFS graduates have an estimated $54 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ESU graduates ($146 vs. $200).
• More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UAFS students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 47%)

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.