ATU vs. ESU

Deciding between Arkansas Tech University and Emporia State University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Arkansas Tech University
Emporia State University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • ATU Russellville, AR
  • ESU Emporia, KS
  • Setting
  • ATU Remote Town
  • ESU Remote Town
  • Total enrollment
  • ATU 8,746
  • ESU 4,557
  • Type
  • ATU Public 4 Year
  • ESU Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • ATU #960
  • ESU
  • Religious Affiliation
  • ATU -
  • ESU -
  • Status
  • ATU Non-profit
  • ESU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • ATU
  • ESU
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • ATU $8,674
  • ESU $7,106
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • ATU $14,668
  • ESU $15,419
  • Room & Board
  • ATU $10,338
  • ESU $10,950
  • Average Net Price
  • ATU $12,626
  • ESU $16,094
  • Average Grant Aid
  • ATU $9,901
  • ESU $5,951
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • ATU 93%
  • ESU 92%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • ATU 3,654
  • ESU 1,918
  • Admitted
  • ATU 3,504
  • ESU 1,874
  • Acceptance Rate
  • ATU 95.9%
  • ESU 97.7%
  • Enrolled
  • ATU 33.6%
  • ESU 22.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • ATU 990
  • ESU
  • Typical ACT score
  • ATU 20
  • ESU
  • Average High School GPA
  • ATU 3.37
  • ESU 3.41
  • Typical High School Grades
  • ATU B+
  • ESU B+
  • Admissions Standards
  • ATU Extremely Easy
  • ESU Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • ATU
  • ESU
  • ACT Range
  • ATU 17/23
  • ESU
  • SAT Range
  • ATU 880/1100
  • ESU
  • Submit Test Scores
  • ATU Required
  • ESU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • ATU
  • ESU
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • ATU 17:1
  • ESU 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • ATU
    • Health Professions (23%)
    • Education (12%)
    • Business (12%)
    • General Studies (10%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • ESU
    • Education (27%)
    • Business (16%)
    • Social Sciences (11%)
    • Health Professions (9%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • ATU 43%
  • ESU 43%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • ATU $37,100
  • ESU $39,000
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • ATU 51%
  • ESU 59%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • ATU $17,750
  • ESU $19,419
  • Median Loan Payment
  • ATU $183
  • ESU $200
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • ATU 42%
  • ESU 33%
  • % Women
  • ATU 58%
  • ESU 67%
  • Racial Diversity
  • ATU Low
  • ESU Medium
  • HBCU
  • ATU No
  • ESU No
  • % White
  • ATU 76%
  • ESU 70%
  • % Asian
  • ATU 1%
  • ESU 1%
  • % Black
  • ATU 10%
  • ESU 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • ATU 6%
  • ESU 7%
  • % Native American
  • ATU 1%
  • ESU 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • ATU 0%
  • ESU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • ATU 3%
  • ESU 7%
  • % International
  • ATU 4%
  • ESU 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • ATU 0%
  • ESU 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • ATU 94%
  • ESU 82%
  • % Out-of-State
  • ATU 5%
  • ESU 15%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • ATU Yes
  • ESU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • ATU No
  • ESU No
  • Meal Plan
  • ATU Yes
  • ESU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • ATU Yes
  • ESU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • ATU No
  • ESU Yes

Comparable Facts

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

Arkansas Tech University is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (8,746 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Arkansas Tech University is located in Russellville, AR (Remote Town setting); Emporia State University is in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting).
  • Arkansas Tech University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Arkansas Tech University 17:1; Emporia State University 16:1.

ATU vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU 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 Arkansas Tech University than ESU ($12,626 vs. $16,094).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 5.6% lower than at Emporia State University ($10,338 vs. $10,950).
  • Arkansas Tech University is 22.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $1,568 more per year; $8,674.00 vs. $7,106.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 5.1% higher at ESU than at Arkansas Tech University (about $751 more per year; $15,419.00 vs. $14,668.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Arkansas Tech University than at Emporia State University (93% vs. 92%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arkansas Tech University students is 66.4% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($9,901 vs. $5,951).

ATU vs. ESU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU 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 ATU.

  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Arkansas Tech University 880/1100.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Arkansas Tech University 17/23.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ATU - Required; ESU - Test optional.
  • Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at ATU (3.37).
  • ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than ATU (95.9%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 33.6% at ATU vs. 22.9% at ESU .

ATU vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ATU 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).

  • The graduation rate at ATU is the same as at Emporia State University (43% vs. 43%).
  • Graduates from Emporia State University earn a median of about $1,900 more per year than ATU graduates about ten years after starting college ($39,000 vs. $37,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Arkansas Tech University graduates have a $1,669 lower median loan debt than ESU graduates ($17,750 vs. $19,419).
  • Among borrowers, ATU graduates have an estimated $17 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ESU graduates ($183 vs. $200).
  • More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 51%)

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.