What Kind of School It Is, in a Nutshell
Kansas Wesleyan University is a private, nonprofit, four-year institution located in Salina, Kansas, in Saline County. The federal system that classifies colleges by what they do (Carnegie) describes it as a baccalaureate college with diverse fields: very small and highly residential. That last part has a precise meaning: at the time of that classification, at least half of degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in housing owned by or affiliated with the institution, and at least 80 out of every 100 attended full time.
Living on campus is not the same as paying tuition. Room and board are charged separately, and shortly we will look at how much they cost.
The area around the campus is classified as a remote town, not within a large urban area. If your family does not live nearby, this is exactly the time to calculate separately where your child would live and how your child would get to campus. The census code only locates the school’s address; it does not say how far away your family lives or how long the trip takes. You have to find that out yourself.
Regarding academic level, the institution reports a master’s degree as the highest level it offers, and IPEDS classifies it as an institution that awards degrees primarily at the bachelor’s level or above. Reporting graduate offerings does not confirm that your child’s specific major exists or that its undergraduate and graduate programs are connected. That must be verified program by program.
One point worth clarifying right away: Kansas Wesleyan University is not recorded as a historically Black college or university (HBCU), Tribal College, or land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges in this national directory, 138 have at least one of those three designations; this school is not among them. That says nothing about which communities it serves today or how your child would feel there. You learn that by asking directly and speaking with people who already attend the campus.
And do not choose it or rule it out based on the sticker price—not yet.
The Size of the School and Who Else Is There
Kansas Wesleyan University is small: official fall enrollment was 951, placing it in the band below 1,000. Compared with the 941 selective-admission, private four-year schools in this census that report the data, it is on the smaller side: seven out of ten schools in that group, or more, have higher enrollment.
Of that total of 951, undergraduate enrollment is 899 and graduate enrollment is 52. Above all, it is an undergraduate school.
Who shares the classroom with your child? Among undergraduates, 18 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in fall 2023. Within the comparable group of 941 selective private schools, that places it in the top quarter: three out of four of those schools reported an equal or lower share. They are not the majority, but they are not unusual either.
There are more men than women: out of every 100 students, 43 are women. Adults ages 25 through 64 are a minority, just 5 out of every 100—so if your child enrolls directly after high school, your child will mostly be surrounded by people of a similar age. And fewer than half of first-time students, 43 out of every 100, had a reported permanent residence in Kansas. The rest came from other states or countries, or their residence was not specified. This does not measure travel distance or cost; if that applies to your family, build your budget around the actual trip, not this percentage.
How the Academic Year Works and What They Do with What Your Child Already Knows
The academic year at Kansas Wesleyan University is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school reported two ways for what your child has already learned to count for credit: AP exams and what IPEDS calls credit for life experience (independent study, courses for adults, work experience, portfolios, licenses or certifications, and military or professional opportunities). It also reports accepting credit for military training. And it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit outside a formal dual-enrollment program, treating them as regular students in those courses.
Reporting these pathways does not mean the school will recognize them automatically. It does not state what AP scores are required or how many credits are awarded. Ask for the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for fields of study: in the most recently reported year, the school awarded 125 bachelor’s degrees across 20 program families. The largest was business and management, with 26 out of every 100 degrees—no other field exceeded it, but it does not dominate the total either. Compared with 942 similar schools, it falls within the quarter awarding the fewest degrees per year. That does not tell you whether the exact program your child wants exists or what it is like. Twenty program families with rows in the report are not twenty majors with active students: one family groups several programs, and a row may report zero. Verify the exact program.
Regarding group size, the official ratio is 13 students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. That is a low figure in general terms, but compared with schools of the same type, it is above the median—half or more of those schools reported an equal or lower ratio. Both things are true at the same time. And this ratio is not the same as actual classroom size: it is an institutional calculation, not a headcount in a class.
The institution also reports structured academic opportunities: cocurricular undergraduate research and several pathways related to teacher certification, including state approval of its program for initial teacher certification.
Getting In: How Selective It Is and What It Requires
There is a tension here worth naming directly. Kansas Wesleyan University reported that it does not have open admissions—it reviews application materials before saying yes. Of the nine considerations IPEDS asks about, it marked two as required: the high school transcript and high school GPA. Everything else—class rank, academic course plan, personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio, work experience, an English-language exam, and whether a relative attended the school—was marked as not considered in the admissions decision. IPEDS does not say how much weight each required item carries, so this does not prove that GPA is the only factor.
The application fee is $20.
And here is the number that matters most for setting expectations: the first-time applicant pool for the 2023 cycle numbered 1,831, and 1,556 received offers of admission. That is 85 out of every 100. Compared with the 942 selective private schools in this census, that places it on the more accessible side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, admitted an equal or lower percentage. It is one of the schools that does say yes. But being easier to enter does not make what follows easy—that percentage does not say how much it will cost, how many students finish, or whether your child’s specific program has its own screening process.
Interestingly, out of every 100 admitted students, only 17 enrolled. The others, acceptance letter in hand, chose somewhere else. Do not read that as a blemish—the federal record does not say why each person made that decision. What does matter is this: what others did does not predict your offer. Wait for your own letter with the actual net price before deciding whether this school stays on the list.
Regarding standardized tests, the school reported that it does not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admissions decision, even if they are submitted. This does not cover scholarships or placement—ask about those separately.
One figure stands out if your child is thinking about transferring here or transferring away: out of every 100 students in the 2017 first-time cohort, 49 transferred to another school without finishing here within the expected period. Compared with 542 similar schools, it is among those that see the largest share of students leave—at least nine out of ten schools in that group reported an equal or lower departure rate. This matters twice over because, as you will see shortly, someone who leaves is not counted as a graduate here, even if that person finishes a degree elsewhere.
What It Costs and What Is Actually Paid
At Kansas Wesleyan University, among a population numbering 38 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $19,098. Among a population numbering 28 from the same student population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $24,994; among a population numbering 65 with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $26,027. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band, whose student population numbered 38, and the highest-income band, whose student population numbered 65, is $6,929. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship, the average was $23,419.
$19,098 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students receiving grants or scholarships, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that matters is the financial aid letter sent to you. In the meantime, run the net price calculator on the school’s website.
Scholarships, Pell, and Loans: The Other Side of the Calculation
First, the good news: 95 out of every 100 degree-seeking students receive some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Receiving something here is the norm, not the exception. Among those who received it, the average was $21,860 for the year—but that is an average, not a promise: it includes people who received much more and people who received much less. Out of every 100 students, 41 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Now for the part that must be faced directly. Out of every 100 undergraduate students, 74 received a federal student loan during the year—the majority. Among those who borrowed, the average amount per borrower that year was $6,649. Compared with similar schools, this share of students with loans is on the high side.
Financing with debt is common here, and it is worth doing the full calculation before signing anything: if your child borrows a similar amount each year throughout the four-year plan, the total comes to about $26,596, not including interest. And you make that calculation before the first signature, not at the end. Moreover, that average covers only federal loans in the student’s name—it does not include the Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, or bank or credit card debt.
The institution reports one additional payment mechanism: an installment tuition payment plan.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Support
Kansas Wesleyan University has institution-owned housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 571 students on or off campus. It is not required for all first-time, full-time students—but that answer only rules out a universal requirement and does not rule out a requirement for a particular program. The school also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by plan. The existence of the option does not guarantee a bed or included meals: request the annual rate, deadline, and whether space is guaranteed or there is a waiting list in writing.
Regarding ROTC, the only branch confirmed in writing is the Air Force. Army and Navy are not marked—that does not make them impossible, but if your child has their heart set on another branch, you need to ask directly.
The school competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), with reported membership in football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. That membership belongs to the institution, not your child: if your child is interested in competing, contact the coach directly and ask about roster availability, division, and whether that sport offers scholarships.
Regarding learning format, it does offer distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but it is a minority mode—only 2 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all their classes at a distance. The school also reports at least one program that can be completed entirely through distance education, without specifying the level; confirm it if that is relevant to your child.
The library has employed staff and spending above the federal threshold of $100,000, along with physical and digital collections and interlibrary lending. The school also reports several support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services, placement services for graduates, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military personnel, and a published webpage for disability services.
How Many Stay and How Many Graduate
This is the section where it helps to take a deep breath and read carefully, because this is where the number hits hardest if it is not properly understood.
Of the class that entered in fall 2022—a cohort numbering 234 first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students—60 out of every 100 met the official retention criterion: they were still enrolled there or had already graduated one year later. Compared with 930 similar schools, it falls toward the bottom: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, retained a higher share. The rest—94 people—do not appear in that outcome. That does not mean they gave up: they may have transferred, paused their studies, or started working. The data records the outcome, not the cause.
For the cohort that entered in 2017, the six-year graduation rate was as follows: of the 182 students who started with no prior college experience, 70 earned degrees here. That is 38 out of every 100. At four years, the figure is 34 out of every 100—only 4 points lower, so most of those who graduate do so more or less on time. Compared with 920 similar schools, this places it in the bottom quarter: three out of four of those schools, or more, reported a higher share of graduates.
This is where the transfer figure discussed earlier becomes meaningful: remember that 49 out of every 100 students from this same class transferred to another school. A student who transfers and finishes a degree elsewhere is not counted as a Kansas Wesleyan University graduate in this figure. The graduation rate measures who finishes here, not who finishes, period. And this figure of 38 out of every 100 applies to the entire school—if your child is considering a specific major, ask the department for that rate.
At eight years, looking at an earlier cohort from 2015-16 that includes full-time and part-time students, 47 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution. Among Pell Grant recipients, the figure falls to 42 out of every 100—11 points below the figure for those who did not receive Pell Grants. Compared with 935 similar schools, it also falls in the bottom quarter on this measure. If your family would qualify for Pell, this does not predict your child’s individual outcome, but it does support asking the school directly which advisor would be assigned, what emergency assistance is available, and whether the institutional scholarship renews each year. Ask for the answers in writing.
What This Article Cannot Tell You
This information does not tell us how much a Kansas Wesleyan University graduate earns or how much debt that graduate carries upon leaving. That falls outside what the government reports in this manner, and we will not invent it here.
Putting the Pieces Together
That is one piece of the map. It is not the whole map. What is missing is what your child wants to study, what your child has built so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. When you put all three together, you will have something that no isolated figure can give you: a plan.
Source note: The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education and primarily covers the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Kansas Wesleyan University or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data to help you understand it.