ESU vs. UNK

Comparable Facts

Compare Emporia State University in Emporia, KS with University of Nebraska at Kearney in Kearney, NE on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Nebraska at Kearney is larger than ESU based on total student enrollment (5,881 students vs. 4,557 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Emporia State University is located in Emporia, KS (Remote Town setting); University of Nebraska at Kearney is in Kearney, NE (Remote Town setting).
• Emporia State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of Nebraska at Kearney is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Emporia State University 16:1; University of Nebraska at Kearney 14:1.

ESU vs. UNK Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ESU or UNK? 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 Emporia State University than UNK ($16,094 vs. $16,287).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emporia State University are 10.2% lower than at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($10,950 vs. $12,198).
• University of Nebraska at Kearney is 22.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than ESU (about $1,570 more per year; $8,676.00 vs. $7,106.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 0.9% higher at ESU than at University of Nebraska at Kearney (about $135 more per year; $15,419.00 vs. $15,284.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Emporia State University than at University of Nebraska at Kearney (92% vs. 89%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska at Kearney students is 64.3% larger than aid received by Emporia State University students ($9,776 vs. $5,951).

ESU vs. UNK Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney 905/1125.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of Nebraska at Kearney 19/26.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: ESU - Test optional; UNK - Test optional.
• Typical fall application deadline: UNK Aug 15, 2027.
• Accepted freshman ESU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at UNK (3.24).
• ESU has a higher acceptance rate (97.7%) than UNK (89.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 22.9% at ESU vs. 18.5% at UNK.

ESU vs. UNK Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for ESU and UNK? 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).

• University of Nebraska at Kearney's six-year graduation rate (61%) is higher than Emporia State University's (43%).
• Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn a median of about $4,400 more per year than ESU graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,400 vs. $39,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Emporia State University graduates have a $1,831 lower median loan debt than UNK graduates ($19,419 vs. $21,250).
• Among borrowers, ESU graduates have an estimated $19 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UNK graduates ($200 vs. $219).
• More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ESU students, three years after graduation. (71% 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.