K-State vs University of Kansas (KU)

Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, two prominent public universities in the Sunflower State, offer distinct educational experiences to prospective students. K-State, located in the vibrant college town of Manhattan, boasts a higher acceptance rate (84%) compared to KU's 80%. Both universities excel in various academic disciplines, with K-State renowned for its engineering, agriculture, and veterinary medicine programs, while KU shines in liberal arts, business, and education. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and popular majors, to determine which institution best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Kansas State University logo

Kansas State University

University of Kansas logo

University of Kansas

Overview

Location Manhattan, Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Campus setting City: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 86.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 95.6% 92.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
SAT range N/A 1090 - 1330
ACT range N/A 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 80.0%
Total number of applicants 9,822 15,275
Total number of admissions given out 9,391 14,129
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,848 4,119
Yield rate 30.3% 29.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,866

Out of state: $39,937
In state: $25,259

Out of state: $42,127
Average net price $19,874 $18,608
Tuition
In state: $9,489

Out of state: $25,560
In state: $10,092

Out of state: $26,960
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,200

Meal plan: $4,900
Room/dormitory: $6,100

Meal plan: $3,800
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

88.0%
Average amount $6,774
80.0%
Average amount $10,408
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $5,095
40.0%
Average amount $5,220
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $14,579
6.0%
Average amount $13,036

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,619
Men 50.3% Women 49.7%
19,158
Men 46.8% Women 53.2%
Graduate students 4,610
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
7,622
Men 42.7% Women 57.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 21.8% 41.5%
International students 5.4% 6.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 5,696 5,235
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Kansas Missouri Texas Nebraska Colorado Kansas Missouri Illinois Texas Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 68.4% 66.0%
Dropout rate 9.3% 7.8%
Transferred out 20.4% 24.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Food Science and Technology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,367
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $83,284
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,831
  • Year 2: $71,734
  • Year 3: $83,247
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,832
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $82,805
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,780
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $81,885
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,427
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $80,450
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,948
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $79,928
Architectural Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,390
  • Year 2: $65,557
  • Year 3: $75,955
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,670
  • Year 2: $65,131
  • Year 3: $73,437
Agricultural and Food Products Processing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,969
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $69,822
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,353
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $65,198
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,586
  • Year 2: $170,720
  • Year 3: $156,139
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,189
  • Year 2: $119,061
  • Year 3: $123,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,966
  • Year 2: $73,299
  • Year 3: $88,195
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,179
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $81,042
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $78,614
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,617
  • Year 2: $72,625
  • Year 3: $77,366
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,974
  • Year 2: $66,001
  • Year 3: $73,900
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,436
  • Year 2: $59,722
  • Year 3: $72,306
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,919
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $68,960
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,347
  • Year 2: $53,108
  • Year 3: $68,650

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