At $13,776/yr net price, Wichita State University graduates earn $51,532/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $17,532/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $13,776 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $55,104 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $51,532/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$17,532/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 3.1 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 51.4% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $20,500 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,914/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,084/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,240/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,670/yr |
| $110,001+ | $18,751/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. | Master | $110,878 | |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. | Master | $104,749 | $64,510 |
| Industrial Engineering. | Master | $80,022 | |
| Computer Engineering. | Master | $78,114 | |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. | Doctoral | $76,460 | |
| Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. | Bachelor | $69,338 | $20,738 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. | Doctoral | $68,422 | $66,364 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. | Doctoral | $68,219 | |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Bachelor | $65,784 | $19,710 |
| Computer Engineering. | Bachelor | $64,990 | $21,865 |
The Risk Factor
51.4% of students at Wichita State University graduate within 6 years. More than half of students finish, but the dropout rate is a real factor in whether this investment pays off.
Analysis
Wichita State gives you a solid financial return if you pick the right major, but the outcome swings hard depending on what you study. Median debt of $20,500 against median earnings of $51,532 ten years out is a manageable ratio, and a net price under $14,000 keeps the base cost reasonable for a public university.
The payoff is concentrated in engineering. Electrical engineering graduates clear roughly $69,000, and mechanical, computer, aerospace, and industrial engineering all land in the low-to-mid $60,000s. Wichita is an aviation manufacturing hub, so the aerospace and mechanical tracks connect directly to local employers like Spirit AeroSystems and Textron. If you go into one of these programs, your debt load stays near the school median while your starting earnings run well above it. That is a clean win.
The risk is finishing at all. A 51% graduation rate and a 68% retention rate mean roughly a third of students leave after the first year, and half never graduate. Debt without a degree is the worst outcome here, and those odds are real. If you are not confident you will complete an engineering-heavy program, price that risk in before you enroll.
The net price tiers reward lower-income families. If your family earns under $48,000, you pay around $11,000 a year. Above $110,000, that climbs to about $18,750. The jump between the $48-75k and $75-110k brackets is steep, so a middle-income family feels the cost more than the sticker suggests.
This school fits you if you are committed to engineering and want to work in Wichita's aviation and manufacturing economy. If you are undecided or drawn to lower-paying fields, the earnings and graduation numbers give you less to lean on, and you should compare other options before signing on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wichita State University worth the debt?
With median debt of $20,500 and 10-year earnings of $51,532, Wichita State offers reasonable debt-to-income ratios compared to national averages. The low net price of $13,776 per year helps keep borrowing manageable for most students.
What are the highest paying majors at Wichita State University?
Nursing programs lead earnings at $110,878, followed by allied health professions at $104,749 and industrial engineering at $80,022. These programs significantly outperform the school's overall 10-year earnings average of $51,532.
Does Wichita State University have a good return on investment?
Wichita State provides solid ROI for health and engineering majors but average returns overall. The 51% graduation rate means nearly half of students don't finish, which hurts long-term value for those who don't complete their degrees.
How much financial aid does Wichita State University give?
The relatively low net price of $13,776 suggests decent financial aid availability, though specific award amounts vary by student need and merit. Most students can attend without taking on excessive debt given the manageable costs.