More selective than 61% of Kansas colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $50,611. College Scorecard.
Higher than 22% of Kansas colleges we cover and 17% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 56% of Kansas colleges we cover and 46% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
McPherson College acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,209 applicants, McPherson College admitted 1,013 and 241 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1200 on the SAT or 18–23 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
McPherson College tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What McPherson College costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of McPherson College took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Kansas. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $22,587 | $94,188 | 5.3 years |
| $30–48k | $20,939 | $87,316 | 4.9 years |
| $48–75k | $28,655 | $119,491 | 6.7 years |
| $75–110k | $28,737 | $119,833 | 6.7 years |
| $110k+ | $31,043 | $129,449 | 7.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (44% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($52,084) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,868 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
McPherson College majors, earnings & careers
McPherson College offers 36 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Arts & Design · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 5
- Science & Math · 5
- Business & Finance · 4
- Communications & Media · 3
- Health & Medicine · 3
- Education · 2
- Engineering · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at McPherson College
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians | $52,781 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $48,331 | — |
Quick list of all 36 majors
- Accounting—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration—
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminology—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Health Administration—
- Health Sciences—
- History—
- Human Services—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$48,331
- Marketing—
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies / Technicians$52,781
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other—
- Political Science—
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Research)—
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Sociology—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
- Theatre—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Environmental Science / Conservation → Environmental scientist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in McPherson
2 bedrooms $1,029.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 34 inches of rain a year, 14 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
No hazard rated high.
FEMA National Risk Index, McPherson County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
McPherson County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare McPherson College with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Kansas by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McPherson College | 77% | $26,441 | 34% | $52,084 | This school |
| Southwestern College | 76% | $29,824 | 36% | $55,646 | |
| Ottawa University-Ottawa | 83% | $27,963 | 28% | $55,552 | |
| Tabor College | 65% | $20,205 | 34% | $54,058 | |
| Kansas Wesleyan University | 72% | $22,671 | 49% | $51,152 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
McPherson College would cost you $3,383 less per year than Southwestern College, on average.
- Lower sticker price at McPherson College, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$4,152).
- Southwestern College gives aided families $4,438 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Kansas resident | McPherson College | SC | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $37,310 | $39,822 | −$2,512 |
| Books & supplies | $1,420 | $1,000 | +$420 |
| Housing & meals | $10,322 | $11,356 | −$1,034 |
| Personal & travel | $3,762 | $7,914 | −$4,152 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,203 | −$1,660 | −$543 |
| Sticker price | $50,611 | $58,432 | −$7,821 |
| Average grants | −$24,170 | −$28,608 | +$4,438 |
| You pay | $26,441 | $29,824 | −$3,383 |
“+” means McPherson College costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about McPherson College
What is the McPherson College acceptance rate?
McPherson College accepts 77% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,013 of 1,209 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 960–1200 on the SAT or 18–23 on the ACT.
How much does McPherson College cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $50,611 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $26,441 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $22,587 and families earning $110k+ pay $31,043.
How much do McPherson College graduates earn?
Former McPherson College students earn a median $52,084 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the McPherson College graduation rate?
34% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 65% return for their second year.
How long does a McPherson College degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at McPherson College costs about $119,491 after grants ($28,655 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $52,084 ten years after starting, $17,868 more than high school graduates in Kansas ($34,216), so the cost is repaid in 6.7 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “McPherson College: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/mcpherson-college (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).