Kansas State University (K-State)
Public four-year university in Manhattan, KS that costs an average of $18,210 a year after financial aid, admits 82% of applicants and graduates 71% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$18,210
Acceptance rate
82%
Graduation rate
71%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$61,473
PublicSmall city15,142 undergraduates
Cost of K-State
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $27,073 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $11,579 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $29,533 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $13,652 |
| Books and supplies | $1,062 |
| Average net price after aid | $18,210 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $12,650 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $11,613 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $13,499 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $19,307 |
| $110,001+ | $23,192 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with K-State's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 82% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,151 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 550–640 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 510–620 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 20–27 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 71% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 86% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $54,234 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $61,473 |
| Rank in Kansas (earnings) | 5th of 27 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $19,200 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $218 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 24% |
| Students with federal loans | 38% |
Majors and programs at K-State
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (92)
Certificate programs (41)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Production Operations | 31 | — | — |
| Air Transportation | 1 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Anthropology | 16 | — | — |
| Area Studies | — | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 8 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Dance | 1 | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 46 | — | — |
| Education, Other | 21 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 12 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 16 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 5 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 31 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 4 | — | — |
| General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations | 143 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 14 | — | — |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences | 18 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 8 | — | — |
| Human Resources Management and Services | — | — | — |
| Human Services | — | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 13 | — | — |
| Insurance | 90 | — | — |
| International Business | 13 | — | — |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 18 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 67 | — | — |
| Marketing | 169 | — | — |
| Museology/Museum Studies | — | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Public Health | 6 | — | — |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 1 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 21 | — | — |
| Religion/Religious Studies | 3 | — | — |
| Second Language Learning | — | — | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 6 | — | — |
| Statistics | — | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | — | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 6 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 25 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 15 | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (4)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 15 | — | — |
| Air Transportation | 49 | — | — |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | 32 | — | — |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 19 | — | — |
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | — | — | — |
Master's degree programs (74)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Science and Technology | 81 | $93,675 | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 31 | $82,906 | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 132 | $80,715 | $24,323 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 58 | $74,336 | — |
| Accounting and Related Services | 123 | $66,459 | $17,083 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 46 | $64,497 | $38,801 |
| Interior Architecture | 63 | $61,767 | $33,246 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 165 | $61,551 | $33,712 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 67 | $58,557 | $34,781 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 49 | $52,859 | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 156 | $52,532 | $25,935 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 256 | $48,118 | $25,500 |
| Agricultural Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Agricultural Public Services | 27 | — | — |
| Air Transportation | 1 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 64 | — | $84,822 |
| Animal Sciences | 25 | — | — |
| Apparel and Textiles | 5 | — | — |
| Architectural Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Architecture and Related Services, Other | 15 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 3 | — | — |
| Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other | 78 | — | $32,500 |
| Biology | 12 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 5 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 5 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 23 | — | — |
| Communication and Media Studies | 8 | — | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 17 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 13 | — | — |
| Computer Programming | 1 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 18 | — | — |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 17 | — | — |
| Economics | 4 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 12 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 13 | — | — |
| Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians, Other | — | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 33 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 77 | — | $20,412 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 3 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 3 | — | — |
| Genetics | 2 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 1 | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 21 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 17 | — | — |
| History | 4 | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | 10 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 9 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 17 | — | — |
| Journalism | 20 | — | — |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 12 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 50 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 6 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 7 | — | — |
| Music | 43 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 42 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 40 | — | — |
| Operations Research | 8 | — | — |
| Physics | 6 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 11 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 34 | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | 1 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 7 | — | — |
| Public Health | 32 | — | — |
| Sociology | 9 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 28 | — | — |
| Statistics | 17 | — | — |
| Sustainability Studies | 20 | — | — |
| Systems Science and Theory | — | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | — | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 5 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (43)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 12 | — | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 11 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 6 | — | — |
| Biology | 16 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | 3 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | 7 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 16 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 8 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 11 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 12 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 36 | — | — |
| Economics | 8 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 24 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | — | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 19 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 13 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 14 | — | — |
| Genetics | 6 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 4 | — | — |
| History | 4 | — | — |
| Industrial Engineering | 11 | — | — |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 11 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 13 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 3 | — | — |
| Nuclear Engineering | 5 | — | — |
| Nutrition Sciences | 4 | — | — |
| Physics | 15 | — | — |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | 11 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 28 | — | — |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | 7 | — | — |
| Sociology | 3 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | 1 | — | — |
| Statistics | 15 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 14 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 16 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | 6 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (1)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinary Medicine | 241 | $100,654 | $177,815 |
Graduate certificate programs (48)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Engineering | — | — | — |
| Air Transportation | 5 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 55 | — | — |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | — | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 6 | — | — |
| Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | 19 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | — | — | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 2 | — | — |
| Business/Commerce | 1 | — | — |
| Chemical Engineering | — | — | — |
| City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning | 10 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | — | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 2 | — | — |
| Computer Engineering | — | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | — | — | — |
| Dispute Resolution | 14 | — | — |
| Education, Other | — | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 20 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 9 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 4 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | 99 | — | — |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 75 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 2 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 18 | — | — |
| Gerontology | 1 | — | — |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 18 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Human Services | 4 | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 12 | — | — |
| Military Applied Sciences | — | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 15 | — | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 6 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 4 | — | — |
| Philosophy | — | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 6 | — | — |
| Public Administration | 1 | — | — |
| Public Health | 5 | — | — |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | — | — | — |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | — | — | — |
| Social Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Special Education and Teaching | — | — | — |
| Statistics | 19 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 55 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 25 | — | — |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 2 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Zoology/Animal Biology | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in Kansas
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Kansas | Lawrence | $20,004 | 93% | $67,963 |
| Wichita State University | Wichita | $10,307 | 94% | $56,003 |
| Fort Hays State University | Hays | $16,333 | 90% | $53,030 |
| Washburn University | Topeka | $11,023 | — | $53,102 |
| Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg | $14,291 | 89% | $53,785 |
| Emporia State University | Emporia | $14,364 | 98% | $50,860 |
About K-State
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Manhattan, KS |
| Setting | Small city |
| Undergraduates | 15,142 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 19 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Higher Learning Commission |
| Website | k-state.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is K-State's acceptance rate?
Kansas State University admits 82% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,151 on the SAT.
How much does K-State cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $27,073 a year (tuition and fees: $11,579 in-state, $29,533 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $18,210 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $12,650.
How much do K-State graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $61,473 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 5th of 27 similar colleges in Kansas. The best-paid bachelor's program is agricultural and food products processing ($87,336 a year after graduation).
What is K-State's graduation rate?
71% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 86% of first-year students return for a second year.