More selective than 17% 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 $21,780. College Scorecard.
Higher than 63% of Kansas colleges we cover and 44% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 52% of Kansas colleges we cover and 44% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
WSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 8,637 applicants, Wichita State University admitted 8,200 and 1,786 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 905–1240 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
WSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for Kansas residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What WSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Wichita State University took 4.5 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 | $9,734 | $43,414 | 2.5 years |
| $30–48k | $9,696 | $43,244 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $13,564 | $60,495 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $16,893 | $75,343 | 4.4 years |
| $110k+ | $19,184 | $85,561 | 4.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($51,532) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $17,316 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.
WSU majors, earnings & careers
Wichita State University offers 74 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 14
- Business & Finance · 10
- Engineering · 10
- Science & Math · 9
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 9
- Health & Medicine · 8
- Arts & Design · 5
- Communications & Media · 3
- Education · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
Highest-earning majors at WSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $97,335 | $25,728 |
| Electrical Engineering | $94,738 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $89,074 | $21,658 |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering | $83,057 | $22,250 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $81,265 | $15,450 |
| Engineering Technologies / Technicians | $77,103 | $23,875 |
| Computer Engineering | $76,203 | $27,500 |
| Nursing | $75,784 | $27,750 |
Quick list of all 74 majors
- Accounting$69,696
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$83,057
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
- Anthropology$47,392
- Applied Mathematics—
- Biochemistry—
- Biology$56,959
- Biomedical Engineering$72,936
- Business Administration$63,852
- Business Economics$73,166
- Chemistry$67,475
- Communications$50,773
- Computer and Information Sciences$81,265
- Computer Engineering$76,203
- Computer Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Computer Science$97,335
- Criminal Justice$51,305
- Curriculum and Instruction$51,036
- Dental Support Services and Allied Professions$61,982
- Economics—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$47,389
- Education (Subject Teaching)$51,728
- Electrical and Computer Engineering—
- Electrical Engineering$94,738
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians$77,103
- English$46,768
- Entrepreneurship$61,960
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance$64,060
- Geology / Earth Science—
- Gerontology—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$36,723
- Health Administration$48,446
- Health Sciences$48,537
- History$46,090
- Homeland Security—
- Human Development and Family Studies—
- Human Resources$63,150
- Industrial Engineering—
- Intercultural / Multicultural and Diversity Studies—
- Interdisciplinary Studies—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business$65,366
- Journalism—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$47,463
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$43,452
- Linguistics—
- Management Information Systems$67,413
- Manufacturing Engineering—
- Marketing$52,709
- Mathematics—
- Mathematics and Computer Science—
- Mechanical Engineering$89,074
- Medical Laboratory Science$69,711
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nursing$75,784
- Philosophy—
- Physics—
- Physiology$52,833
- Political Science$54,874
- Psychology$42,690
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Religious Studies—
- Security / Homeland Security—
- Social Work$49,670
- Sociology$42,450
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders$55,638
- Statistics—
- Studio Art$37,604
- Visual and Performing Arts$37,012
- Writing—
— 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 →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Wichita
Overall prices in the Wichita, KS area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,043. Housing costs 34% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 36 inches of rain a year, 13 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (very high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high); winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Sedgwick County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Sedgwick County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare WSU with similar schools
Similar public 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wichita State University | 94% | $13,194 | 51% | $51,532 | This school |
| Fort Hays State University | 90% | $12,569 | 48% | $48,928 | |
| Pittsburg State University | 89% | $15,784 | 57% | $50,579 | |
| Emporia State University | 98% | $16,261 | 56% | $47,601 | |
| Kansas State University | 82% | $19,406 | 71% | $57,262 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Wichita State University would cost you $625 more per year than Fort Hays State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Wichita State University, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$5,018).
- Wichita State University gives aided families $1,246 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Kansas resident | WSU | FHSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,684 | $5,923 | +$3,761 |
| Books & supplies | $1,250 | $1,000 | +$250 |
| Housing & meals | $13,790 | $8,772 | +$5,018 |
| Personal & travel | $3,450 | $4,972 | −$1,522 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$6,394 | −$758 | −$5,636 |
| Sticker price | $21,780 | $19,909 | +$1,871 |
| Average grants | −$8,586 | −$7,340 | −$1,246 |
| You pay | $13,194 | $12,569 | +$625 |
“+” means WSU 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 WSU
What is the WSU acceptance rate?
Wichita State University accepts 94% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 8,200 of 8,637 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 905–1240 on the SAT or 17–25 on the ACT.
How much does Wichita State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,780 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,194 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,734 and families earning $110k+ pay $19,184.
How much do WSU graduates earn?
Former Wichita State University students earn a median $51,532 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the WSU graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 69% return for their second year.
How long does a WSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Wichita State University costs about $60,495 after grants ($13,564 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $51,532 ten years after starting, $17,316 more than high school graduates in Kansas ($34,216), so the cost is repaid in 3.5 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: “Wichita State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/wichita-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).