Emporia State University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Emporia State University charges a net price of $16,261/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $65,044. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,601, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Emporia State University does not clear its cost — it ranks #27 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $16,261/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $65,044 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,601 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$759/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $19,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$80,224 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Emporia State University's own numbers. Net price $16,261 × 4 years = $65,044 total. Median earnings $47,601 fall $759 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $65,044 bill in about 6.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Emporia State University students graduate with?
A median $19,500 in federal loans among completers, or 41% of the $47,601 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Emporia State University students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $65,044 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,150 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Emporia State University expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $16,261 net price runs $981 above the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, or $3,924 more across the full degree.