That is what we are going to do here: walk together through what Pittsburg State University reported about itself, figure by figure, and translate it into something you can actually use. Not to tell you whether it is "the right one" for your child—you and I do not know that yet—but to help you understand it well enough to thoughtfully include it in the larger plan your family is building.
Who Pittsburg State University Is
Let’s start with the basics. Pittsburg State University is in Pittsburg, Kansas, in Crawford County. The area around the campus is a town, not a large city or metropolitan area. If your family does not live nearby, you can already write down a question that will follow you throughout this process: where your child would live, how they would get there, and how far from home it would feel. This fact only identifies the school’s location; it says nothing about where your family lives or how long that trip takes. That is for you to calculate.
It is a public university offering programs of four years or more. The federal system that classifies the country’s colleges and universities (Carnegie) places it among master’s institutions with larger programs, medium enrollment, and a primarily residential setting: at the time of that measurement, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 undergraduate students lived in housing owned, controlled, or affiliated with the institution. The government also records that the university reports the doctoral degree as its highest level of offering, although that is a general institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific program that interests your child reaches that level. That must be asked program by program.
One label is worth highlighting: Carnegie places Pittsburg State among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child plans to come here after studying somewhere else, this is exactly the time to request, in writing, which courses will be accepted and which will not. The label tells you that many students arrive here by transferring; it does not tell you how many credits they bring or how many they lose along the way.
Pittsburg State has none of these three designations: it is not a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 colleges and universities in the federal directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Pittsburg State’s absence from that list does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Nor does it mean that it does not serve specific communities: ask directly by looking at which cultural centers and student organizations exist today and by speaking with someone who already studies there.
How Many Students There Are and Who They Are
In the official fall count, Pittsburg State had 5,722 enrolled students. It is neither a very small nor an enormous school: it falls squarely within the range of 5,000 to 9,999, one of the most common ranges among its peers. But that total contains an important distinction: it is divided between 4,426 undergraduate students and 1,296 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor’s degree program, the number that matters to them is 4,426, not the total. A large portion of this community has already completed a degree and is pursuing a master’s degree.
And who are those 4,426 students? Seven out of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. That is a small minority, and compared with similar public schools across the country, it falls below the midpoint of that group. That does not remove the school from your list, nor does it automatically put it on the list: it only tells you that if your child will be one of the few, it is worth asking during the visit which Latino student groups exist, whether there is a cultural center, whether anyone in the office speaks Spanish, and above all, speaking with a student who is already there. The number covers the entire school; your child’s particular experience may look different.
The campus is almost evenly divided between men and women: 51 out of every 100 are women. Students ages 25 to 64, those returning to school as adults, account for only 9 out of every 100: most arrive directly from high school. And among new students, 65 out of every 100 reported a permanent address in Kansas when they applied. It is a school with a strong local presence, though not an exclusively local one.
How Academics Work
The year at Pittsburg State is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Nothing unusual—it is the most common academic calendar in the United States.
The university stated that it accepts credit through two avenues: AP exams and what IPEDS calls credit for life experience, which may come from independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or professional opportunities. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program and reports accepting credit for military training.
Here is a hard truth you should hear directly: the fact that the school reports these avenues does not mean it will award your child credit for every AP exam they submit. It does not say what scores are required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits will count toward the specific program they chose. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what students study: between July 2022 and June 2023, Pittsburg State awarded 1,039 bachelor’s degrees across 22 academic program families. The largest family was business and administration, with 22 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year, but no other family was far behind: the offerings are broad and distributed, rather than built around a single flagship field. Still, 22 active families are not 22 exact majors, nor do they guarantee that the particular program your child wants is offered there under that name. Verify the exact program.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 15 to 1. Compared with similar schools, it falls slightly below the midpoint of the table: neither among the most generously staffed nor among the most crowded. It is a middle-of-the-road number, and here is another truth that should not be softened: this ratio does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes. It is an institutional calculation, not a picture of the classroom where your child will sit.
One more fact is worth keeping in mind: the institution reports structured opportunities such as study abroad, preparation for teacher certification below the postsecondary level, and state approval for initial teacher-certification programs. If your child is interested in teaching or studying outside the country during college, these are doors that have already been reported as open; what remains is for you to verify them with the appropriate department.
Getting In: How Likely It Is and What Matters in the Decision
Here we reach one of the central pieces. Pittsburg State does not have open admission: it reviews requirements before saying yes. Of the nine considerations covered by this report, only two were marked as required: the high school GPA and the English-proficiency exam for those to whom it applies.
The list of what is not considered is longer: the full high school record, class rank, whether the student completed the recommended course plan, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, a portfolio or competency exam, work experience, and whether a relative studied there. The report does not say whether anyone reviews these for another purpose; it says only that they are not part of the decision to admit or deny admission.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, here is a question worth resolving today rather than later: the English-proficiency exam is marked as required when applicable, and it is one of those things families discover late. Ask about it now.
And how likely is your child to be told yes? In the 2023 cycle, Pittsburg State received 2,856 first-time applications and offered admission to 2,518. That is 88 out of every 100. It is a high rate, among the most accessible at similar schools and slightly above the midpoint of its comparison group. Put simply: out of every 100 who apply, 88 are admitted.
But here is the counterweight, because getting in easily does not make what follows easy. Of those Pittsburg State admitted for the first year of 2023, only 35 out of every 100 ultimately enrolled there. The other 65 had the letter in hand and still chose somewhere else. Compared with similar schools, this proportion is on the high side: at most of those schools, a smaller share of admitted students enrolls. In family terms: of every three young people admitted by this school, about one decides to attend. Receiving the letter is not the same as deciding to go. And when admission letters arrive from several schools, this percentage is not what will decide for you: place the letters side by side and compare net price, program, and distance before the deposit deadline.
The SAT and ACT are not required here. Fewer than 1 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted an SAT score; among those who submitted ACT scores, the median was 21. The fact that almost no one submits the SAT does not tell you whether the school uses it for admission or scholarships when it is submitted; it only tells you that almost no one submits it.
And regarding transfers, here is a fact that almost no family asks about but that matters: among the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 26 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing their degree at Pittsburg State. It is a common proportion among similar schools, but high in absolute terms. And here is something almost no one will explain to you at a college fair: a student who transfers does not count as a graduate of this school, even if they complete their degree somewhere else. Keep this point in mind when we reach graduation rates, because it comes up again there.
The Sticker Price, and Why It Is Not the Final Bill
At Pittsburg State University, among 67 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $17,392. Among 49 students in the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $18,833; among 83 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $19,715. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
There is a difference of $2,323 between the average for the lowest-income band (67 students) and the average for the highest-income band (83 students). Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $19,357.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same time coverage, this school falls within the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you should request the financial-aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
How It Is Paid For: Grants, Pell, and Loans
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Pittsburg State, 83 received some form of grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. That is a high proportion compared with similar schools, placing it in the quarter where grant or scholarship aid reaches the most students. Among those who received it, the annual average was $5,471.
The Pell Grant, the federal aid specifically for low-income families, reached 34 out of every 100 students. There is a contrast here worth understanding clearly: aid in general reaches the vast majority, but aid based specifically on low family income reaches slightly more than a third. The difference may come from other sources—state aid, institutional aid, or merit scholarships—and this breakdown does not reveal exactly how each case is assembled. Ask which programs make up that difference and what requirements each has.
And now the loan portion, where nothing should be sugarcoated. In the 2022-23 school year, 45 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan. Among those who borrowed, each took out an average of $5,714 that year. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of the four years in the plan, the cumulative total would be around $22,856, not counting interest. And that calculation is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the road.
That average covers only federal loans in the student’s name for one year. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, does not include debt from private banks, and is not the total debt someone has upon graduation, because that would require adding together every year, and that number is not in this report. This figure describes other families, not yours. What your child would need to borrow comes from their own financial-aid letter. Wait for that letter before ruling out the school and before committing to it.
The institution also offers a tuition installment-payment plan, an option for managing the cost without necessarily taking out an additional loan.
Campus Life: Housing, Sports, the Library, and Support
Pittsburg State has institution-controlled housing, on or off campus, with a reported capacity of 1,150 students. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there, although that does not rule out the possibility that a specific program may require it. The university also offers meal plans, with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest plan. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child; request this year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or your child would be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
As for ROTC, the university indicated that an opportunity is available, and the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. Navy and Air Force are not marked. If your child is interested in another branch, it is not confirmed here, which does not mean it is impossible—it means you need to ask directly and by name.
Pittsburg State competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NCAA. Membership is reported for football, basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to continue competing in college, this membership belongs to the school; it does not guarantee them a place. Write directly to the coach, ask whether there is an opening, which division that sport competes in, and whether it offers athletic scholarships. Get the answer in writing.
Regarding distance education, Pittsburg State offers it at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and reports at least one complete program that can be finished that way. In practice, however, only 5 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes through distance education; the other 95 took at least one class in person. If distance education is important to your family, confirm the exact level and program for which it is available.
The library has employed staff, and its annual expenditures exceeded the $100,000 threshold tracked by the federal government. It has physical and digital materials and offers interlibrary lending. What the data does not tell you is its exact hours or whether someone is available to guide your child through their research; ask directly.
Finally, the university reports a broad list of services: combined academic and career counseling, a job board for current students, placement services after completion, on-campus child care, a point of contact for veterans and service members, a veterans’ student organization, and a webpage for disability services. The fact that these services are reported does not tell you how accessible or effective they are in practice. You learn that by visiting, calling, and above all, speaking with someone who already uses them.
They Stay, They Leave, and They Finish: The Numbers That Really Matter
Here we reach the question that probably concerns you most: if your child enrolls, will they finish?
Let’s start with retention—that is, how many remain enrolled after the first year. Of the 835 full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2022, 650 were still enrolled or had already completed their program one year later: 78 out of every 100. That proportion is slightly above the midpoint among similar schools, neither among the best nor the worst. But here is something important that this number does not separate: it does not distinguish between someone who is still studying there and someone who graduated within a year, nor does it explain what happened to the rest. And not returning is not the same as dropping out: someone who transferred to another university and is still studying there is counted the same way in this figure as someone who stopped studying altogether.
Now graduation, where the truth deserves to be stated plainly. Of the 950 first-time, full-time students who entered a bachelor’s degree program in 2017, 512 had earned a Pittsburg State degree six years later. That is 54 out of every 100. At four years—the timeframe most families have in mind and in their budgets—the figure drops to 34 out of every 100. There is a difference of 20 points between four years and six.
Put plainly: after six years, slightly more than half of that cohort had completed their degrees at this school, and slightly less than half had not. It is almost half and half. Compared with similar schools, Pittsburg State is above the group median, meaning that half of its peers reported an equal or lower proportion of graduates. The data does not explain the reasons in each case, nor does it tell you how much an additional fifth or sixth year costs if your child takes longer than expected. Before deciding, ask what specific supports exist to help a student finish on time and how long the particular program that interests your child actually tends to take.
Also remember what we saw earlier: a student who transfers to another school and completes their degree there does not count as a Pittsburg State graduate. This means that this school’s graduation rate, like that of almost every school, does not capture everyone who completed a college degree—only those who completed it here.
There is a third, broader measure that follows students for eight years after they enter, including both first-time students and those who already had prior college experience, attending full time or part time. Of a cohort of 1,789 students who entered between 2015 and 2016, 58 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school eight years later. That proportion is above the median among similar schools.
And here is a contrast that deserves to be stated with complete clarity, without softening it: among students who received a Pell Grant, the aid for low-income families, only 49 out of every 100 had completed a degree or certificate from this school within those eight years. That is 15 points fewer than the group that did not receive Pell. A family’s eligibility for Pell today does not determine an individual student’s outcome, but if your financial situation qualifies, this is a question worth taking directly to the university: what specifically is available for those students, whether they have an assigned counselor, whether emergency aid is available, and whether the grant is renewed from year to year. Get the answer in writing.
What You Know Now, and What Is Still Up to You
You now know an important piece of the map. You know that Pittsburg State is a medium-sized public university in a town, with a low sticker price compared with its peers but a higher-than-average net price for the lowest-income families. You know that getting in is relatively easy, while staying through completion is more evenly divided: slightly more than half finish within six years, and financing an education with federal loans is common here, with amounts that accumulate quickly if they are not planned for from the first year.
None of this tells you whether Pittsburg State is your child’s university. That depends on three things this article cannot know for you: what your child wants to study and what they have built so far, how far away your family is willing to have them live while studying, and what you can and want to pay as a family.
Your child’s role is to explore, work hard, write their application, and decide what they want to do with their life. Your role is to understand the money, request the letters in writing, compare real net prices, and accompany them through the decisions without carrying alone the weight of a system neither of you fully inherited. It is not about doing it for them. It is about doing it with them.
You now understand one of the pieces you need to decide in depth. Combine it with what your child wants, what they have built, and what your family can afford. A real plan grows out of that combination, not from a single figure.
Note on sources: the information in this article comes from official data reported by Pittsburg State University to the United States Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), corresponding primarily to the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles. Best College Aid does not represent Pittsburg State University or the United States government; this article organizes and explains public data to help you understand it.