At $17,365/yr net price, University of Kansas graduates earn $61,945/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $27,945/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $17,365 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $69,460 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $61,945/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$27,945/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 2.5 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 68.8% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $21,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,908/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,702/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,097/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,649/yr |
| $110,001+ | $21,310/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | Doctoral | $170,720 | $72,370 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | Doctoral | $119,061 | $71,000 |
| Engineering-Related Fields. | Master | $106,421 | |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | Master | $73,299 | $32,322 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Doctoral | $72,625 | $61,500 |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor | $69,338 | $21,250 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor | $66,001 | $20,500 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | Bachelor | $64,990 | $25,811 |
| Civil Engineering. | Bachelor | $63,666 | $20,500 |
| Petroleum Engineering. | Bachelor | $63,005 |
The Risk Factor
68.8% of students at University of Kansas graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 31% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
University of Kansas gives you a solid financial return with manageable risk. You borrow around $21,000 for a degree that pays back roughly $62,000 a year a decade out, and the 85% retention rate means most people who start actually finish. The 69% graduation rate is the main hole: nearly a third of students leave without a degree but potentially with debt, and that group carries the worst outcomes.
Engineering is where the money is. Electrical engineering leads at roughly $69,000, with mechanical, civil, and petroleum all clustered in the low-to-mid $60,000s and debt held near $20,500. Computer science pays about $65,000 but comes with the highest debt of the top programs at nearly $26,000, so your net position there is slightly weaker than the engineering tracks that earn as much or more on less borrowing. These are the degrees that clearly beat the school's median.
The risk is major choice, not the school. KU's payoff data is dominated by engineering and computing. If you enroll in a program outside that group, you are betting on outcomes the listed numbers don't cover, and the Kansas and greater Kansas City job market rewards technical fields more reliably than most. Pair a non-technical major with slow time-to-degree and the math gets thin fast.
On price, families under $30,000 pay about $10,900 a year, and the number climbs steadily to roughly $21,300 once household income passes $110,000. The jump between the $48-75k and $75-110k tiers is the sharpest, nearly $4,500 more per year, so middle-income families feel the squeeze most.
Pick KU if you're targeting engineering or computer science and can finish in four years. If you're undecided or drawn to lower-paying fields, keep your borrowing tight and look hard at the graduation-rate risk before committing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is University of Kansas worth the cost?
University of Kansas offers decent value with a net price of $17,365 and 10-year earnings of $61,945, though the 68.8% graduation rate means about 1 in 3 students don't finish. The ROI depends heavily on your major, with nursing and pharmacy graduates earning significantly more than the average.
What are the best paying majors at University of Kansas?
Nursing leads with median earnings of $170,720, followed by pharmacy at $119,061 and engineering-related fields at $106,421. Business and rehabilitation programs pay much less at around $73,000, making major choice critical for ROI.
How much debt do University of Kansas graduates have?
The median debt is $21,000, which is manageable compared to many universities. However, this only reflects graduates who complete their degree, not the 31% who leave without finishing and may still carry debt.
Should I go to University of Kansas for business?
Business graduates earn a median of $73,299 after 10 years, which provides a reasonable return given the school's net price. However, this is well below what nursing, pharmacy, or engineering graduates earn at the same institution.