CSUDH vs. ESU

Comparable Facts

Compare California State University Dominguez Hills in Carson, CA with Emporia State University in Emporia, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California State University Dominguez Hills is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (15,182 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California State University Dominguez Hills is located in Carson, CA (Small City setting); Emporia State University is in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1; Emporia State University 16:1.

CSUDH vs. ESU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSUDH 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 California State University Dominguez Hills than ESU ($9,175 vs. $16,094).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 40.6% lower than at California State University Dominguez Hills ($10,950 vs. $18,444).
• California State University Dominguez Hills is 4.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $343 more per year; $7,449.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 30% higher at CSUDH than at Emporia State University (about $4,630 more per year; $20,049.00 vs. $15,419.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at Emporia State University (93% vs. 92%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students is 134.4% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($13,951 vs. $5,951).

CSUDH vs. ESU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSUDH 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 CSUDH.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: CSUDH - Test-free; ESU - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at CSUDH (3.16).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than CSUDH (93.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 9.3% at CSUDH vs. 22.9% at ESU .

CSUDH vs. ESU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for CSUDH 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 California State University Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from California State University Dominguez Hills earn a median of about $7,800 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,800 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $5,457 lower median loan debt than ESU graduates ($13,962 vs. $19,419).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $56 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than ESU graduates ($144 vs. $200).
• More ESU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 52%)

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.