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Public 4-Year Minimally Selective Lawrence, KS NCAA Division I-FBS

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS

92.6%
Acceptance Rate
$28,808/yr
Est. Cost of Attendancesum of published cost components
$18,059/yr
Avg Price After Aid
68.8%
6-yr Grad Rate
21,217
Undergrads

About University of Kansas

University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, a small city in Kansas. The university enrolls approximately 21,217 undergraduates and maintains an 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio. With a 68.8% graduation rate, the institution serves a diverse student body including 20.5% Pell Grant recipients and 22.2% first-generation students.

Type
Public 4-Year
Undergrads
21,217
Avg Faculty Salary
$103,164
Athletics
NCAA Division I-FBS
Endowment
$2.5B
Pell Students
20.5%
First-Gen
22.2%
What University of Kansas Is Known For
Majors far more concentrated here than at colleges nationally
Pharmacy 71 graduates · 1.8% of degrees here vs 0.01% nationally 140×
Human Biology 100 graduates · 2.5% of degrees here vs 0.1% nationally 25×
Architectural and Building... 104 graduates · 2.6% of degrees here vs 0.19% nationally 14×
Journalism 170 graduates · 4.2% of degrees here vs 0.39% nationally 11×
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 99 graduates · 2.5% of degrees here vs 0.59% nationally
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023, against the national share at the same degree level
Admissions
92.6%
Acceptance rate · Minimally Selective
19,226
Applicants
Can I Get In? →
Cost & Aid
$18,059 avg net
Average net price after aid
$12,544
Under $30K income
$2.5B
Endowment
Can I Afford It? →
Outcomes
$51,217 median
Median earnings 6 years after entering
68.8%
6-yr Grad Rate
$21,000
Median Debt
Is It Worth It? →

University of Kansas Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate
92.6%
19,226 applicants
Student:Faculty Ratio
18:1
Undergrad instruction

University of Kansas admits 92.6% of applicants, indicating relatively low selectivity. Prospective applicants should note that admission does not require exceptionally high standardized test scores or academic credentials.

How Selective Is That, Really?
Each dot is one of 100 applicants · Source: school's Common Data Set, else College Scorecard
1 in 2 applicants is admitted · 19,226 applied
10-Year Acceptance Rate Trend
10-year trend · Source: College Scorecard
10 years

SAT & ACT Score Ranges

Where Admitted Students Score
Middle 50% of enrolled students, on the full SAT scale · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS)
Fall 2023
1070–1300
40080012001600
GPA Distribution — Enrolled Students
8-band breakdown · Source: Common Data Set
4.0
38%
3.75–3.99
21%
3.50–3.74
17%
3.25–3.49
12%
3.00–3.24
7%
2.50–2.99
4%
2.00–2.49
1%
Below 2.0

Admissions Requirements

Admission Factor Weights
Official weights from submitted institutional data · Source: Common Data Set, section C7
Rigor of coursework Not Considered
Class rank Not Considered
Academic GPA Very Important
Standardized test scores Considered
Application essay Not Considered
Recommendations Not Considered
Extracurricular activities Not Considered
Talent / special ability Not Considered
Character / personal qualities Not Considered
First generation status Not Considered
Alumni relation Not Considered
Geographic residence Not Considered
Volunteer work Not Considered
Work experience Not Considered
Class Rank Profile
25% of students submitted rank · Source: Common Data Set
Top 10th of class
26%
Top quarter
53%
Top half
84%
Who Applies, and Who Gets In
First-year applicants, admits and enrollees by gender
Applied Admitted Rate Enrolled
Men 8,766 7,375 84.1% 2,400
Women 10,460 9,583 91.6% 2,859
SOURCEIPEDS Admissions — Fall 2023 admissions cycle
How These Admissions Numbers Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Kansas admits 93.5% of applicants — a typical similar college admits 83%.

Acceptance rate
This school
93.5%
Similar colleges (532)
83%
KS (27)
81.7%
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (22)
87.2%
National (1,934)
78.1%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Kansas Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance

Avg Net Price
$18,059
Average for all students receiving federal aid, 2023-24
Median Federal Debt
$21,000
Federal Loan Rate
37.4%
Students borrowing federal loans

At University of Kansas, the cost of attendance is $28,808, while the average net price students pay is $18,059, meaning most students pay substantially less than the sticker price.

Cost of Attendance Breakdown
Estimated annual costs · on-campus, 2023-24 · Source: College Scorecard
$28,808
In-state Tuition & Fees
$12,102
42%
Room & Board
$11,358
39%
Books & Supplies
$1,224
4%
Other Expenses
$4,124
14%

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income

What You'd Actually Pay by Family Income
Average net price after all grants and scholarships · Source: College Scorecard (IPEDS net price)
Under $30,000
$12,544
$30,001 – $48,000
$12,942
$48,001 – $75,000
$15,154
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,169
Over $110,000
$22,544
Full Cost of Attendance
Source: College Scorecard
2023-24

Student Loan Debt

What the Sticker Price Is Made Of
First-year, living on campus — as University of Kansas reports it
CDS 2024-25
Required fees
$1,134
Housing
$6,696
Food / meal plan
$4,662
Books & supplies
$1,224

These are the school's own Common Data Set figures for a first-year student living on campus. They are reported separately from the federal cost-of-attendance estimate above, and the two are compiled on different bases, so they will not add to the same total.

SOURCEUniversity of Kansas Common Data Set 2024-25, section G
How Many Students Borrow
Undergraduates taking on any loan
Take out a loan
89%
Federal loans
37%

Graduates who borrowed carry a median monthly repayment of about $223.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How This Price Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

After aid, University of Kansas costs $18,059 a year — about 24% more than a typical similar college.

Cost of attendance
This school
$26,751
Similar colleges (565)
$25,083
KS (56)
$21,483
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (26)
$27,916
National (3,197)
$25,367
Students taking a loan
This school
89.4%
Similar colleges (583)
84.8%
KS (68)
85.1%
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (35)
87.1%
National (4,096)
86.4%
Median debt at graduation
This school
$21,000
Similar colleges (585)
$21,000
KS (70)
$11,171
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (39)
$13,930
National (4,347)
$13,097
Average net price
This school
$18,059
Similar colleges (565)
$14,600
KS (72)
$15,297
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (42)
$17,941
National (5,106)
$17,160

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Kansas Graduation Rate & Student Outcomes

6-yr Grad Rate
68.8%
Median Earnings 6yr
$51,217
6 years after entering

University of Kansas reports a graduation rate of 68.8%. Graduates earn a median of $51,217 six years after entry and $61,945 ten years after entry.

Graduate Earnings After College

Median Graduate Earnings Over Time
6 and 10 years after entering · includes all students, not just graduates · Source: College Scorecard
Median Earnings by Gender · 6 Years After Entering
Students working 6 years after entering · Source: College Scorecard
$53,250
Men
$49,993
Women
Graduation Rate: Pell vs. Non-Pell
6-year graduation rate by grant status · Source: College Scorecard
57.8%
Pell recipients
64.8%
Non-Pell students

Top Majors & Programs

Top Majors by Graduates
Most recent year available · bachelor's degrees only · Source: IPEDS Completions 2023
MajorGraduates
Psychology, General274
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse187
Journalism170
Marketing/Marketing Management, General169
Finance, General158
Business/Commerce, General147
Computer and Information Sciences, General147
Mechanical Engineering128
Exercise Science and Kinesiology124
Accounting117
Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Completing within six years
Asian
79.1%
White
71%
Hispanic
63.4%
Black
44.6%
SOURCECollege Scorecard — groups with too few students to report are omitted
Earnings Further Out
The longer horizon

Median earnings eight years after entering University of Kansas are $57,994, and 75% of former students earn more than $25,000 six years after entry.

SOURCECollege Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
How These Outcomes Compare
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

Six years after entry, former University of Kansas students earn $51,217 — 11% more than at a typical similar college.

Median earnings, 10 years
This school
$61,945
Similar colleges (587)
$54,560
KS (69)
$45,387
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (41)
$45,387
National (4,696)
$40,782
Median earnings, 6 years
This school
$51,217
Similar colleges (589)
$46,058
KS (70)
$38,282
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (41)
$39,003
National (4,847)
$35,433
Graduation rate
This school
68.8%
Similar colleges (566)
51.7%
KS (29)
47.6%
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (20)
52%
National (2,168)
52.3%
Freshman retention
This school
85.9%
Similar colleges (567)
76%
KS (27)
65.4%
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (20)
71%
National (1,841)
75.7%

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

University of Kansas Campus, Athletics & Faculty

University of Kansas is a public institution located in Lawrence, a small city in Kansas, with an undergraduate enrollment of 21,217 students. The student body includes 53.6% women, 22.2% first-generation students, and 20.5% Pell grant recipients.

Student Demographics
Undergraduate enrollment · Source: College Scorecard / IPEDS
Race & Ethnicity
White
69.3%
Asian
6%
Hispanic
10.8%
Black
4.3%
Other Indicators
First-generation
22.2%
Pell grant recipients
20.5%
Women
53.6%
University of Kansas Athletics
Total Revenue
$19.9M
Total Expense
$26.4M
Athletes
658
322 men · 336 women
Head Coach Salaries
Men's vs Women's programs · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's sports
$801,349
Women's sports
$244,610

Average head coach salary by program gender.

Athletic Aid
Scholarship spending by gender · Source: Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act
Men's aid
$7,212,821
Women's aid
$6,699,748
Academic Resources
1,330
Full-time faculty
$103,164
Avg faculty salary
26,255
FT staff
$2.5B
Endowment
Faculty Salary by Gender
All instructional ranks combined · Source: IPEDS Human Resources
Men (avg)
$113,835
Women (avg)
$91,164
Overall avg
$103,164
Who Is on Campus
Beyond the undergraduate headcount
Undergraduates
21,217
Graduate students
7,707
Varsity Athletes
Play a varsity sport
2.8%

512 of 18,192 undergraduates, counting each athlete once regardless of how many sports they play.

SOURCEIPEDS enrollment; Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act filings
Online & Distance Learning
How much of the teaching happens remotely
Undergrads fully online
5.1%
Undergrads taking any
51.1%
Grad students fully online
23.5%

1,049 of 20,696 undergraduates study entirely at a distance, against 1,811 of 7,710 graduate students.

SOURCEIPEDS Fall Enrollment, distance education status

University of Kansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and operates its own medical school.

How This Campus Compares
Against the colleges this school should be measured against
Median

University of Kansas spends $24,800 per student on research — about a typical similar college.

Pell grant share
This school
20.5%
Similar colleges (590)
34%
KS (74)
34.2%
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (45)
44.1%
National (5,367)
40.1%
Research spending per student
This school
$24,800
Similar colleges (531)
$8,786
KS (48)
$4,247
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (24)
$5,342
National (2,823)
$5,605
Students per faculty member
This school
18:1
Similar colleges (595)
16:1
KS (74)
14:1
Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS (45)
13:1
National (5,427)
15:1

Each bar is the median of that group, with the number of schools in brackets. “Similar colleges” means the same control and the same predominant degree awarded. Groups of fewer than 15 schools are not shown.

Every Major at University of Kansas
94 fields of study, bachelor's degree level, grouped by subject area
4,011 graduates
Business and Marketing 776 grads · 9 majors
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 169
Finance, General 158
Business/Commerce, General 147
Accounting 117
Management Science 66
Organizational Leadership 48
Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain... 35
Management Information Systems, General 33
Project Management 3
Engineering 392 grads · 9 majors
Mechanical Engineering 128
Chemical Engineering 71
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and... 69
Civil Engineering, General 47
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 28
Architectural Engineering 24
Computer Engineering, General 15
Petroleum Engineering 6
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 4
Health Professions 386 grads · 9 majors
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 187
Pharmacy 71
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 35
Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling 21
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist 20
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical... 19
Health Services/Allied Health/Health... 19
Health Information/Medical Records... 9
Music Therapy/Therapist 5
Psychology 313 grads · 2 majors
Psychology, General 274
Research and Experimental Psychology, Other 39
Communication and Journalism 250 grads · 2 majors
Journalism 170
Speech Communication and Rhetoric 80
Parks, Recreation and Kinesiology 223 grads · 2 majors
Exercise Science and Kinesiology 124
Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 99
Biological and Biomedical Sciences 208 grads · 7 majors
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 52
Biochemistry 49
Microbiology, General 41
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 30
Biology/Biological Sciences, General 28
Molecular Biology 5
Biotechnology 3
Visual and Performing Arts 189 grads · 7 majors
Design and Visual Communications, General 60
Film/Cinema/Media Studies 57
Music, General 21
Fine/Studio Arts, General 20
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 14
Dance, General 9
Art History, Criticism and Conservation 8
Computer and Information Sciences 173 grads · 2 majors
Computer and Information Sciences, General 147
Information Technology 26
Social Sciences 171 grads · 4 majors
Political Science and Government, General 96
Economics, General 37
Sociology, General 25
Anthropology, General 13
Multidisciplinary Studies 167 grads · 5 majors
Human Biology 100
Behavioral Sciences 38
International/Globalization Studies 20
Geography and Environmental Studies 6
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 3
Architecture 125 grads · 2 majors
Architectural and Building... 104
Interior Architecture 21
Education 124 grads · 6 majors
Elementary Education and Teaching 57
Secondary Education and Teaching 29
Music Teacher Education 16
Early Childhood Education and Teaching 14
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 5
Art Teacher Education 3
Liberal Arts and General Studies 102 grads · 2 majors
Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 101
Humanities/Humanistic Studies 1
Public Administration and Social Services 71 grads · 2 majors
Social Work 63
Public Administration 8
English Language and Literature 66 grads · 1 major
English Language and Literature, General 66
Foreign Languages and Linguistics 64 grads · 7 majors
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and... 17
Linguistics 16
French Language and Literature 9
Spanish Language and Literature 8
American Sign Language 7
Classics and Classical Languages,... 5
Slavic Languages, Literatures, and... 2
Natural Resources and Conservation 59 grads · 1 major
Environmental Studies 59
Physical Sciences 58 grads · 5 majors
Chemistry, General 20
Physics, General 15
Geology/Earth Science, General 11
Astronomy 7
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 5
History 32 grads · 1 major
History, General 32
Mathematics and Statistics 32 grads · 1 major
Mathematics, General 32
Philosophy and Religious Studies 13 grads · 3 majors
Philosophy 9
Religion/Religious Studies 3
Jewish/Judaic Studies 1
Area, Ethnic and Gender Studies 11 grads · 4 majors
Women's Studies 5
American/United States Studies/Civilization 3
African Studies 2
German Studies 1
Legal Professions 6 grads · 1 major
Legal Studies 6
SOURCEIPEDS Completions 2023 — first majors only, so a student with a double major is counted once

University of Kansas Location & Campus Safety

University of Kansas is in Lawrence, KS, in what IPEDS classifies as a small city setting. The campus sits about 1 miles from the center of Lawrence. There are 3 other colleges within 25 miles, and Lawrence, KS is 1 miles away.

University of Kansas
Small city
Campus Setting
1 mi
To City Center
3
Colleges Within 25 mi
95,459
Lawrence Population
Living in Lawrence
Cost of living and getting around, for the whole city — not the campus
ACS 2023
$1,054
Median Rent / mo
$62,838
Median Household Income
30.8%
Rent as % of Income
How People Commute
Drive alone
68.7%
Walk
4.5%
Public transit
3.2%

Douglas County scores 8.7 out of 20 on the EPA National Walkability Index — below average walkable. The index is a county-wide average of block groups, so it describes the surrounding area rather than the campus itself.

Undergraduates make up about 19.4% of Lawrence's residents.

SOURCEU.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates; EPA National Walkability Index

Campus Safety at University of Kansas

Every college that receives federal financial aid must publish its crime statistics each year under the Clery Act. These are the figures University of Kansas reported for 2024.

94
On-Campus Offenses
45
In Residence Halls
3.2
Per 1,000 Students
83
Domestic, Dating & Stalking

Read these numbers carefully. A Clery figure counts reports, not incidents. A university with active reporting channels, a large campus police force and a teaching hospital will record more offenses than one where the same events go unreported — so a higher count is not evidence of a more dangerous campus, and a low count is not evidence of a safe one. In 2024, 833 campuses with more than 1,000 students reported no offenses at all. Use these figures to ask a college questions, not to rank one against another.

Reported On-Campus Offenses by Year
Criminal offenses reported on campus, including residence halls · Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Clery Act disclosures
2022
59
2023
48
2024
94
What Was Reported in 2024
On-campus criminal offenses by category
Sexual offenses
47
Motor vehicle theft
36
Burglary
7
Aggravated assault
4

Separately, University of Kansas reported 16 arrests and 169 disciplinary referrals for weapons, drug and liquor law violations on campus. Referrals for alcohol violations are usually the largest category at residential colleges and reflect how a school handles student conduct internally.

SOURCEU.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety and Security — Clery Act disclosures, 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about University of Kansas admissions, costs, and outcomes.