University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas · Public, a small city · 21,217 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into KU?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
93.5%
19,226 applied
SAT, middle half
1070 to 1300
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
20 to 28
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Recommended, not required
31% of admitted students enrolled
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
How much does KU cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Kansas residents
$12,453
Tuition and fees, out of state
$31,332
A full year, sticker price
$29,237
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$20,004
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $15,379 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,373 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,017 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,151 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,765 |
- Room and board on campus
- $12,998 a year; $11,359 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,224 a year
- The school's own grants
- 85% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $9,441
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do KU students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$20,000
About $227 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
37.6%
Get a Pell Grant
23.1%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
6.9%
What do KU graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$56,140
Ten years after starting
$67,963
Middle half: $46,548 to $98,369
Best-paid program, five years out
$133,488
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$36,783
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
Do KU students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
86.5%
Graduate in six years
70.3%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
69% graduated
23% transferred, 1% still enrolled
Who goes to KU?
Women
53.6%
First in their family at college
22.2%
Part-time
7.8%
Students per teacher
18
- Background
- White 69%, Hispanic 11%, Black 4%, Asian 6%, Two or more 6%, International 3%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 6,208 beds
What do KU graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 311 | $77,854 | $106,721 | $18,100 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 120 | $75,920 | $99,686 | $21,805 |
| Architectural Engineering | 48 | $79,698 | $88,147 | $19,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | 149 | $74,998 | $102,272 | $19,183 |
| Civil Engineering | 101 | $75,378 | $93,959 | $21,508 |
| Computer Engineering | 30 | Hidden | $114,128 | Hidden |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 51 | $81,760 | Hidden | $21,000 |
| Engineering Physics | 11 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mechanical Engineering | 229 | $75,737 | $90,663 | $20,500 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 11 | Hidden | $105,421 | Hidden |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 262 | $63,395 | $83,166 | $19,500 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 217 | $61,688 | $78,297 | $18,844 |
| Business/Commerce, General | 297 | $51,375 | $78,601 | $18,500 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 381 | $66,413 | $91,621 | $20,593 |
| International Business | 18 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 76 | $65,889 | $99,743 | $21,353 |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 192 | $71,577 | Hidden | $21,500 |
| Marketing | 367 | $51,242 | $82,706 | $22,437 |
Nursing
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 378 | $71,919 | $82,972 | $15,000 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 44 | Hidden | $61,811 | Hidden |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 41 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 92 | $28,650 | $61,869 | $16,750 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 29 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 34 | $42,217 | $72,342 | Hidden |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 182 | Hidden | $133,488 | $12,577 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 15 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 424 | $39,819 | $64,352 | $20,000 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 122 | $53,479 | $72,786 | $20,500 |
| Biology, General | 76 | $35,397 | $61,138 | $17,353 |
| Biotechnology | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences | 137 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 57 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 95 | $39,001 | $64,960 | $21,500 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 111 | $38,001 | $62,582 | $18,353 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astronomy and Astrophysics | 13 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Chemistry | 36 | $51,584 | Hidden | Hidden |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 22 | Hidden | $63,796 | Hidden |
| Mathematics | 75 | Hidden | $68,131 | Hidden |
| Physics | 32 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Sign Language | 14 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 28 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 40 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| English Language and Literature, General | 139 | $32,613 | $51,000 | $23,375 |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| History | 79 | $35,065 | $54,047 | $24,125 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 33 | Hidden | $36,783 | Hidden |
| Philosophy | 30 | Hidden | $61,749 | Hidden |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 15 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 61 | Hidden | $64,273 | Hidden |
| Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 192 | $45,792 | $49,513 | $22,125 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 53 | $46,468 | $52,824 | $23,250 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dance | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Design and Applied Arts | 116 | $40,564 | $56,942 | $21,250 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 32 | $30,974 | $46,094 | Hidden |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 127 | $34,952 | $49,650 | $18,375 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 79 | $33,953 | $40,897 | $20,500 |
| Music | 46 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural History, Criticism, and Conservation | 0 | Hidden | $67,217 | Hidden |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 188 | Hidden | Hidden | $23,197 |
| Interior Architecture | 39 | Hidden | Hidden | $27,000 |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behavioral Sciences | 106 | $40,365 | $54,470 | $19,500 |
| Classical and Ancient Studies | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 16 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Human Biology | 176 | $31,592 | $69,377 | $19,500 |
| International/Globalization Studies | 62 | Hidden | $58,473 | $25,361 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 185 | $44,967 | $68,386 | $20,000 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare KU with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with University of Kansas. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences