University of Kansas vs. Kansas State University

A side-by-side comparison of Kansas and Kansas State — acceptance rates (92.6% vs. 87.5%), SAT scores (1080–1280 vs. 1040–1260), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.

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KansasLawrence, KS

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

Kansas CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from Kansas CDS (Fall 2025).
92.6%acceptance rate
Applied
22,187
Admitted
20,541
Enrolled
5,040

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state94.1%
7,037 admitted of 7,479 applicants
Out-of-state91.7%
12,847 admitted of 14,011 applicants
International94.3%
657 admitted of 697 applicants

Early admissions

Kansas does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Kansas is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1080
50th Percentile
1170
75th Percentile
1280

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
20
50th Percentile
24
75th Percentile
28

Class rank

Where Kansas's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class26%
Top quarter of class53%
Top half of class84%

Based on the 53% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Kansas does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Kansas weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Kansas's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$29,651
In-State
$48,530
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$12,453$31,332
Room & Board
$11,798$11,798
Other Expenses
$5,400$5,400
Total
$29,651$48,530

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$13k
$30–48k~$13k
$48–75k~$15k
$75–110k~$19k
$110k+~$23k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants20.5%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
42%
Avg. Package
$20,547
Avg. Need Met
78%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Health Professions
Engineering
Psychology
Communication & Journalism
Parks, Recreation & Fitness
Biological & Life Sciences
Visual & Performing Arts
Other
Business
21%
Health
10%
Engineering
8%
Psychology
8%
Journalism
7%
Rec & Fitness
6%
Life Sci
5%
Arts
5%
Other
30%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

18:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return87%
Graduate within six years70%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$70k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$21k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Kansas’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

  • Psychology

    274 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$55kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Kinesiology & Exercise Science

    223 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$63kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$21k median debt
  • Nursing

    187 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$79kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$15k median debt
  • Computer & Information Sciences

    173 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$92kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$26k median debt
  • Journalism

    170 degrees (2023-24)

    ~$62kmedian pay, 4 yrs after graduation~$22k median debt
Show all 31 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

2024–25 CDSKansas's 2025-2026 Common Data Set hasn't published this section yet, so this figure is shown from the 2024-2025 edition instead.
First-Years On Campus
75%
In Fraternities
13%
In Sororities
33%

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Small city
Location
Lawrence, KS

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
3819J
4423F
5533M
6544A
7456M
8465J
8970J
8768A
7959S
6747O
5434N
4224D
Snow a year
10 in
Precipitation a year
39 in
Days at 90°F or above
42
Days below 32°F
104

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, LAWRENCE, KS US station, 0.2 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

46%
54%
Male
10,331
Female
12,213

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White68.2%
Hispanic11.5%
Other9.7%
Asian and Pacific Islander5.9%
Black4.3%
Native American<1%
Kansas StateManhattan, KS

Acceptance rate

Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.

K-State CDSIn-state vs. out-of-state admit rates from K-State CDS (Fall 2025).
87.5%acceptance rate
Applied
15,591
Admitted
13,642
Enrolled
3,775

Admit rate by residency

% admitted
In-state93.7%
6,643 admitted of 7,088 applicants
Out-of-state92.0%
6,536 admitted of 7,102 applicants
International33.0%
463 admitted of 1,401 applicants

Early admissions

Kansas State does not offer an Early Decision or Early Action plan; all applicants apply through Regular Decision.

Early Decision
Not offered
Early Action
Not offered
Restrictive EA
Not offered

Standardized tests

Kansas State is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.

SAT Accepted?

ACT Accepted?

Test Optional?

SAT Scores

4001600
25th Percentile
1040
50th Percentile
1140
75th Percentile
1260

ACT Scores

136
25th Percentile
20
50th Percentile
24
75th Percentile
27

Class rank

Where Kansas State's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.

Top tenth of class29%
Top quarter of class56%
Top half of class84%

Based on the 64% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Kansas State does not publish an average GPA.

Admissions factors

How Kansas State weighs each part of your application.

→ Importance

Rigor of High School Record

Academic GPA

Standardized Test Scores

Application Essay

Recommendations

Extracurricular Activities

Character / Personal Qualities

Talent / Ability

First Generation

Level of Applicant's Interest

Class Rank

Volunteer Work

Work Experience

Geographical Residence

State Residency

Alumni Relation

Racial / Ethnic Status

Religious Affiliation

Cost of attendance

Estimated full-time annual cost from Kansas State's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.

$27,305
In-State
$45,259
Out-of-State
In-StateOut-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$11,579$29,533
Room & Board
$11,520$11,520
Other Expenses
$4,206$4,206
Total
$27,305$45,259

What families actually pay

$0–30k~$13k
$30–48k~$14k
$48–75k~$15k
$75–110k~$20k
$110k+~$24k

Average net price — what was left to pay after grant aid — for students receiving federal financial aid, covering in-state students only.

% of undergrads with Pell grants20.7%

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Financial aid

Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.

Receiving Aid
47%
Avg. Package
$18,226
Avg. Need Met
79%

Popular majors

Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.

Business & Marketing
Agriculture
Engineering
Biological & Life Sciences
Education
Interdisciplinary Studies
Health Professions
Social Sciences
Other
Business
22%
Agriculture
13%
Engineering
11%
Life Sci
9%
Education
7%
Interdisc.
6%
Health
4%
Social Sci
4%
Other
24%

Student-faculty ratio

The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.

19:1

Student outcomes

First-years who return86%
Graduate within six years71%
Median earnings, 4 yrs after graduation~$65k
Median federal loan debt at graduation~$21k

Median yearly income of former students who received federal aid, across every major, measured four years after graduating (2017–18 and 2018–19 graduates, earnings measured 2022–2023). Debt covers federal loans of students who completed.

Source: College Scorecard (2026)

Programs

Kansas State’s most popular programs and median pay after graduation. Income data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

Show all 31 programs

Median pay data is measured from graduates who received federal student aid.

Source: College Scorecard (2026) · IPEDS (2023-24) · ABET

Campus life

On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.

First-Years On Campus
81%
In Fraternities
N/A
In Sororities
N/A

Place

How the federal government classifies the area around the campus, and what a normal year of weather looks like there.

Setting
Small city
Location
Manhattan, KS

Average temperature

Monthly high and low, °F
4019J
4522F
5632M
6642A
7654M
8664J
9169J
8966A
8157S
6944O
5532N
4323D
Snow a year
18 in
Precipitation a year
36 in
Days at 90°F or above
59
Days below 32°F
125

Thirty-year averages, measured at the nearest weather station rather than on campus — they describe the area, not the campus.

Source: IPEDS (HD2024) · NOAA 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, MANHATTAN, KS US station, 0.6 mi from campus

Enrollment by gender

48%
52%
Male
7,909
Female
8,642

Student diversity

Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.

White78.4%
Hispanic9.9%
Other6.3%
Black3.1%
Asian and Pacific Islander1.9%
Native American<1%

Writing your Kansas or Kansas State application essay?

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Kansas vs. Kansas State: frequently asked questions

Kansas State is more selective: it admits about 87.5% of applicants, compared with 92.6% at Kansas. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.

The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1080–1280 at Kansas and 1040–1260 at Kansas State on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.

Kansas State has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $29,533 in tuition and fees versus $31,332 at Kansas, a gap of about $1,799 a year before financial aid.

Kansas State graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 71% versus 70% at Kansas.

Kansas State, and only there. Kansas State's Common Data Set rates the application essay considered, while Kansas reports that it does not consider the essay at all — so an application there rests on grades, course rigor, and test scores.

Source: University of Kansas Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. % of First-Years Living On Campus, % of Undergraduate Men in Fraternities, and % of Undergraduate Women in Sororities are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Kansas. Banner photo by Gen. Quon, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).

Source: Kansas State University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-06-25. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Kansas State. Banner photo by J. Corbett, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).