Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas · Public · 81.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 69/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Kansas State University, the flagship land-grant public in Manhattan, Kansas, posts a Fair Value ROI score of 69/100. The fundamentals are solid across the board: 71.1% completion rate, 9.8-year payback period, debt-to-earnings of 0.513, and an 81.2% repayment rate that shows graduates are servicing loans reliably. Out-of-state tuition runs $28,568, materially higher. The earnings premium over high-school grads is 28.7%, which is decent but reflects the wide spread of majors. What drives the 69 score up: high completion, strong repayment, and a reasonable debt load. Median early earnings are dragged down by the large education, animal-science, and biology cohorts that earn well below the engineering grads.
Kansas State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,221/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,568/yr |
| Average net price | $19,406/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $77,624 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $57,262 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $225 |
| Estimated payback period | 9.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 71.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 15,142 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $11,221/year ($28,568/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $19,406/year, or roughly $77,624 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $13,178/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $23,665/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $21,250, which works out to about $225 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($41,400) and comes to 0.51, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $13,178 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,143 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,369 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,110 |
| $110,001+ | $23,665 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $13,178 per year net - meaningfully below sticker, thanks to Pell and state aid. Over four years that is about $52,712, well within reasonable bounds given $41,400 average earnings and the strong-program upside. The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $14,143, still affordable. Lower-income students who pick a strong-ROI major do well at K-State.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income households ($48,001-$110,000) pay $15,369 to $20,110 per year. Four-year cost runs $61,000-$80,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $23,665 per year net - roughly twice the published in-state tuition because more of the room/board and full-pay positioning shows up at this bracket. Four-year cost is $94,660, still below typical private-school numbers. For high-income Kansans, K-State remains a strong-value pick versus going out-of-state.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Kansas State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $46,562 | C |
| Animal Sciences | $50,941 | C |
| Finance and Financial Management | $75,705 | C+ |
| Marketing | $69,837 | C+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $69,735 | B |
| Mechanical Engineering | $88,533 | B+ |
| Nutrition Sciences | $62,128 | D |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $65,677 | D |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $53,337 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $107,194 | B+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is K-State's signature program - 140 graduates a year earning $72,627 at one year and $88,533 at four years, with $25,000 median debt and a 0.344 debt-to-earnings ratio - a B+ ROI grade. This is the K-State pitch: strong engineering outcomes at land-grant tuition. Strong placement in aerospace, energy, and manufacturing across Kansas, Texas, and the broader Midwest.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer sciences (106 grads) earn $76,385 at year one and $107,194 at year four - the highest four-year earnings figure on campus. Median debt of $25,871 and a 0.339 debt-to-earnings ratio yield a B+ ROI grade. The four-year jump from $76k to $107k reflects strong career progression in tech roles. Best-in-show major at K-State for raw ROI.
Teacher Education
Teacher education is the second-largest program at 221 graduates, but the financial profile is weak: $44,320 first-year earnings, $46,562 at four years (essentially no growth), $24,999 median debt, and a 0.564 debt-to-earnings ratio yielding a C ROI grade. Kansas teacher salaries cap the upside. The mission rationale is real; the financial rationale is not.
Animal Sciences
Animal sciences (211 graduates) is one of K-State's largest programs by volume but posts $38,868 first-year earnings, $50,941 at four years, $22,757 debt, and a 0.585 debt-to-earnings ratio - a C ROI grade.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (173 grads) earns $54,509 at year one and $75,705 at year four, with $24,990 median debt and a 0.458 debt-to-earnings ratio - a C+ ROI grade. The four-year earnings ramp is healthy and consistent with finance career progression. Not flashy, but a defensible pick for Kansas students staying in the regional finance and ag-finance economy.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 78.3% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 81.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 74.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 80.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Kansas State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 81.7% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 510-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 550-640 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 20-27 |
| Enrollment | 15,142 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 20.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,853 |
K-State admits 81.69% of applicants. SAT mid-ranges are 510-620 math and 550-640 reading; ACT composite mid-range is 20-27. These are mainstream public-flagship numbers, signaling K-State takes a broad cross-section of Kansas students. The 71% completion rate is consistent with the selectivity profile - prepared students who arrive ready to study typically finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
K-State's ROI score is 69.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas State University (this school) | 69 | $19,406 | $57,262 |
| University of Hawaii at Manoa | 72 | $15,664 | $57,624 |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 67 | $23,331 | $61,258 |
| Rowan University | 66 | $22,408 | $59,988 |
| Fort Hays State University | 52 | $12,569 | $48,928 |
| Emporia State University | 44 | $16,261 | $47,601 |
Who Thrives Here
K-State enrolls 15,142 students with a 20.71% Pell rate, a typical land-grant mix skewing rural and Kansas-resident. The fit is strongest for students targeting engineering (mechanical, electrical, chemical, industrial), agriculture (food science, plant science, ag business), and computer sciences - all of which post B or B+ ROI grades with median first-year earnings of $60,000-$78,000. Students drawn to soft sciences, animal science (211 grads, $38,868 first-year earnings, C grade), or general biology should weigh major selection carefully.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Kansas State University is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $19,406 a year after aid ($77,624 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $57,262 a decade out, the cost takes about 9.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: its 71.1% graduation rate.
Median debt of $21,250 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $41,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Kansas State University: Common Questions
Is Kansas State University worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether Kansas State University is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 69/100 on our ROI scale. At $19,406 a year after aid ($77,624 over four years) against $57,262 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 9.8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Kansas State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $19,406 a year, or roughly $77,624 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Kansas State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $57,262 ten years after enrolling, roughly $15,462 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Kansas State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 9.8 years for Kansas State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Kansas State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $21,250, against average earnings of $41,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Kansas State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 71.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.