Public · Mostly bachelor's degrees · Large city

Wichita State University

Wichita, Kansas. 10,780 undergraduates. Admits 94% of applicants.

52%Graduation rate2 pts below the national median for similar colleges (54%)
$10,307Average net price per year48% below the national median for similar colleges ($19,899)
$56,003Median earnings 10 years after starting5% below the national median for similar colleges ($58,912)
$19,120Median debt at graduation12% below the national median for similar colleges ($21,609)
Our read

Graduates' median debt ($19,120) equals 34% of former students' median earnings ten years after starting ($56,003).

What families actually pay

Under $30,000$7,530
$30,000–$48,000$6,774
$48,001–$75,000$9,000
$75,001–$110,000$12,533
Over $110,000$17,409

Average yearly net price for first-time, full-time students who received federal aid, by family income. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships. Source: College Scorecard.

Compare net price across collegesPublished tuition and fees: $9,948 in-state, $20,613 out-of-state.

Do students finish, and what do they earn?

MeasureThis collegeSimilar colleges nationally
Graduation rate52%54%
Return for second year69%76%
Median earnings, 6 years after starting$47,947$49,318
Median earnings, 10 years after starting$56,003$58,912
Median debt at graduation$19,120$21,609

Graduation rate within 150% of normal time; retention is the share of first-year students who return. Earnings are medians for former students who received federal aid, working and not enrolled. National comparison is the median for colleges of the same type (mostly bachelor's degrees).

Programs and what graduates earn

183 programs reported
ProgramGraduates / yrMedian earnings, 1 yrMedian earnings, 5 yrsMedian debt
Mechanical Engineering61$71,850$93,624$26,250
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering58$74,577$87,531$27,000
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General12$67,014$83,919$28,500
Computer Engineering18$70,687$79,496—
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing135$67,766$76,425$21,000
Biomedical/Medical Engineering25—$75,933$23,250
Electrical and Computer Engineering32$73,755—$27,000
Accounting and Related Services76$58,185$72,940$20,500
Industrial Engineering23$71,961—$25,490
Finance and Financial Management Services70$59,986$69,250$18,000
Business/Managerial Economics22—$69,145$22,742
Computer Science74$69,143—$22,750
Biology, General68$30,177$67,290$21,250
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions21$68,733$66,847$15,852
Business Administration, Management and Operations146$51,909$66,029$21,500
Computer and Information Sciences, General36$61,319—$16,165
Health and Medical Administrative Services34$47,889$60,816$24,468
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences3—$59,515—
Marketing68$45,117$59,229$19,500
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions56$60,183$58,140$19,500
Human Resources Management and Services40$52,088$58,051$23,850
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services26$26,020$57,066$15,833
Communication and Media Studies26$38,925$54,082$24,188
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness39$41,983$53,176$14,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas69$46,385$52,361$27,250
Criminal Justice and Corrections71$43,576$51,652$24,000
Psychology, General104$34,327$48,501$20,500
Sociology9$37,302$48,299$23,250
Social Work45$36,526$48,271$28,400
Political Science and Government26$44,935$46,943$25,000
Anthropology14—$45,910$27,000
History10—$45,280—
Visual and Performing Arts, General78$29,440$45,090$23,268
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations9$44,405——
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods231$43,776—$26,438
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities81—$41,550—
English Language and Literature, General14—$41,356$34,251
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General65$40,757—$21,268
Fine and Studio Arts14—$40,054—
Design and Applied Arts25$26,187$39,646$27,000
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences55$31,718—$15,693
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies5———
Journalism6———
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication9———
Engineering, General7———
Manufacturing Engineering13———
Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians22——$25,500
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services9———
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics2———
American Sign Language1———
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies12———
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology7———
Mathematics8———
Applied Mathematics2———
Statistics1———
International/Globalization Studies4———
Philosophy3———
Chemistry11———
Physics3———
Homeland Security13———
Security Science and Technology15———
Music21——$22,000
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions10———
International Business8———

Program-level medians for graduates who received federal aid. A dash means the Department of Education suppressed the figure to protect privacy, usually because the program is small. At four-year colleges, certificate graduates often earned a bachelor's at the same time, so their earnings can reflect the degree. Source: College Scorecard, field of study data.

Getting in

94%Admission rate
1,092Average SAT of admitted students
17–25ACT middle 50%
19:1Students per faculty member
35%Undergraduates with a Pell Grant

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Quick answers

How much does Wichita State University cost per year?
The average net price at Wichita State University, what students pay after grants and scholarships, is $10,307 per year. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much do Wichita State University graduates earn?
Former Wichita State University students earn a median of $56,003 a year ten years after starting college. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
What is the graduation rate at Wichita State University?
52% of Wichita State University students graduate within 150% of normal time. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How much student debt do Wichita State University graduates have?
The median federal student debt at graduation from Wichita State University is $19,120. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.