I am not going to answer that question for you. No one can, because it depends on what your child wants to study, what your family can afford, and how you envision the next four, five, or six years. But I can help you understand, precisely and without embellishment, what Wichita State University is according to its own official reports. That is one of the three pieces you need to make a decision. Let’s get to know it well.
What Kind of University It Is
Wichita State University is a four-year public university located in the city of Wichita, Kansas, within Sedgwick County and its metropolitan area. The census code places it in a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more. That does not tell you how to get to campus or what is available nearby; if your child plans to live at home, the only way to know for sure is to drive the route on a weekday at the time of their classes. The actual travel time is almost never what the map says.
The Carnegie system, which classifies the nation’s universities by what they do, places Wichita State among doctoral institutions with high research activity. IPEDS confirms that a doctorate is the highest level it reports offering and describes it as an institution that primarily awards bachelor’s degrees or higher. That is an institutional fact; it does not tell you whether the specific field your child is interested in extends through the graduate level. That path must be verified program by program.
Carnegie also describes it, using data from 2019-20, as a large, primarily nonresidential institution. That label applies when fewer than one in four undergraduate students live in institution-provided housing or when fewer than half attend full time. The data do not clarify which of those two conditions applied here, nor do they mean there are no residence halls—in fact, there are, as you will see later. This is simply how most students fit the classification at that point in time.
One fact worth emphasizing if your child is coming from another university: Carnegie places Wichita State among institutions that enroll many transfer students. That does not say how many credits they bring with them or how many they lose when transferring. If your child plans to come here after studying elsewhere, ask in writing, before enrolling, which courses will count and which will not.
Another distinction also matters: Wichita State is not designated as a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. Those are three different answers with three different histories, and among the 3,012 universities in this census, only 138 have at least one of those three designations. Not being on that list says nothing about which students it serves or how your child will feel on that campus. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today—and better yet, speak with someone who already studies there.
The School’s Actual Size and Who Makes Up Its Student Body
Wichita State reported fall enrollment of 16,741 in the official count. It is a large school: the government places it in the range of 10,000 to 19,999 students, and compared with 519 similar public universities in this census, it is on the larger side—only between one and three out of every ten institutions in that group have more students.
But that large number conceals something important: it is divided between 12,856 undergraduate students and 3,885 graduate students. If your child is entering an undergraduate program, the number that really matters is 12,856, not the total. A substantial part of this school consists of people who have already completed an undergraduate degree and are pursuing something else.
Among undergraduates, there are more women than men: 57 out of every 100 students are women. And this is not a school made up only of young people straight out of high school: 22 out of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old. Most entering students, 76 out of every 100, come from Kansas itself.
Regarding Hispanic or Latino enrollment: 16 out of every 100 undergraduate students identified as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. Compared with 519 selective public universities in this census, that share is above the midpoint of the group but does not reach the highest quartile. They are not the majority, but neither are they unusual. This comparison, however, does not account for the part of the country where the school is located—and in a state like Kansas, that matters—nor does it reach the level of a specific major. It describes the entire school, not the classroom your child would be in.
How the Academic Calendar Works and How Broad the Offerings Are
Wichita State’s academic year is organized into semesters: two long terms of approximately 15 weeks each. That means consistent dates for everyone, which helps with planning.
The school reported accepting prior credit through two routes: AP exams and what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses, certifications, and military or government opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training and enrolling high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a truth that cannot be overlooked: the school’s statement that it accepts AP does not mean your child will receive credit for every exam. We do not know what score is required or whether those credits will count toward your child’s specific degree program. Request the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
Between July 2022 and June 2023, Wichita State awarded 2,172 bachelor’s degrees across 23 fields of study. No field accounts for a large share: business and management awarded the most degrees, yet it still represented only 17 out of every 100 degrees awarded that year. The offerings are broad, not concentrated in two or three areas. But “23 active fields” is not the same as 23 specific majors that interest your child. Verify the exact program.
One number worth examining closely: 20 full-time students per full-time-equivalent faculty member. Compared with 519 similar universities, that ratio is in the highest quartile—which means it is high. But be careful: this is not the size of a classroom. It is an aggregate ratio for the entire school. If you want to know how many students are in your child’s first-year course, ask directly; that information is not provided here.
It is also worth mentioning that the institution reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad, cocurricular undergraduate research, and preparation and certification pathways for those who want to become teachers, including state approval of the applicable program.
Getting In: How Selective It Is and What It Reviews
Let’s begin with the figure that reassures many families: Wichita State accepted 95 out of every 100 people who applied for admission during the reported cycle. Of 8,637 applicants, 8,200 were offered admission. Compared with 519 selective public universities in this census, it is on the more generous side: seven out of ten or more institutions in that group accepted a smaller percentage.
This does not mean admission comes without conditions. Wichita State does not have open admission: it reviews parts of the application before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations, it marked four as required: the high school record, grade point average, class rank, and an English proficiency exam when applicable. Beyond those, only one additional item is considered if submitted: completion of the college-preparatory course plan required by the university. The essay and letters of recommendation are marked as not considered for admission.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, this applies directly to you: the English proficiency exam is marked as required when applicable. Ask now whether your child must take it and what would qualify for an exemption. This is the kind of requirement families discover late, when there is no longer enough time to handle it comfortably.
The SAT and ACT are optional here. If submitted, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds normally. Only 5 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted SAT scores—among the lowest shares across 406 similar universities—and among those who did, the middle half scored between 490 and 630 in reading and writing and between 480 and 620 in mathematics. Keep in mind that these ranges describe students who had already enrolled and chose to submit scores, not all applicants. They are neither a minimum that must be reached nor a guarantee of anything.
With an acceptance rate this high, your child’s effort is better spent meeting deadlines and completing the application properly than worrying about competing for a place. But ease of admission says nothing about the price or whether most students complete their degrees. Those two calculations—net price and graduation—matter more than admission, and we will examine them.
One surprising figure: out of every 100 admitted applicants, only 22 enrolled here. The other 78 had been offered a place but did not accept it. That is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not explain why each person chose what they chose—but it does show that receiving an admission letter is not the same as deciding to attend.
Regarding transfers: among the bachelor’s-degree-seeking cohort that entered in 2017, 28 out of every 100 transferred to another school without completing a degree here, a share on the high side compared with similar schools. At the same time, in the fall of 2023, Wichita State enrolled 1,295 undergraduate students who had previously attended another institution. There is movement in both directions. And here is a calculation almost no one sees: a student who transfers and completes a degree elsewhere does not count as a Wichita State graduate, even if that student did well. Remember this when comparing graduation rates among schools: they do not capture everyone who completed a degree, only those who completed it at that same institution.
The Price: What It Costs and What Is Actually Paid
At Wichita State University, among a population of 283 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and had EFC records showing family income below $30,000, the average net price was $10,914. Among a population of 143 students from the same group with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $14,240; among a population of 149 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $18,751. For dependent students, the range combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income range (a population of 283 students) and the average for the highest-income range (a population of 149 students) is $7,837. Among first-year students who received any scholarship or grant aid, the average was $14,184.
$10,914 was the average net price for families in the lowest-income range during the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you decide whether it is worth requesting the financial aid letter.
The income ranges on this fact sheet 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 with scholarship or grant aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
Financial Aid and Loans: Keep the Categories Separate
At Wichita State, 66 out of every 100 degree-seeking students received some form of aid that does not have to be repaid—scholarships or grants—with an annual average of $7,170 among recipients. Separately, 35 out of every 100 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Here is an extremely valuable clarification: do not multiply the percentage by the average. One tells you how many received aid; the other tells you how much those who received it were awarded. They answer two different questions.
Regarding loans: 35 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal loan during the reported school year, with an average of $7,462 among borrowers. That share is among the most common when compared with similar schools—neither among those generating the most debt nor among those generating the least.
This number tells you about other families, not yours. The amount your child would need to borrow—if anything—comes from your child’s own financial aid letter, not from this overall average. That average also excludes loans signed by parents, credit card debt, and total debt accumulated by graduation. Wait for the letter before committing to the school or ruling it out.
The institution also reports an installment tuition-payment plan and participation in a Promise-type program. It is worth asking directly how they work and whether your family would qualify.
Campus Life, Learning Format, and Available Support
Wichita State does have its own housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 1,396 students. Not everyone is required to live there, and it also offers meal plans with a fixed number of meals per week in its largest option. The existence of housing does not guarantee an available bed or that the meal plan is automatically included: request the annual rate, deadline, and whether a place is guaranteed or you will be placed on a waiting list, all in writing.
Regarding ROTC, the only branch confirmed in writing is the Army. The Navy and Air Force are not marked. That does not mean it is impossible for your child to participate through another branch, but if your child is interested, ask directly because this report does not confirm it.
In athletics, Wichita State competes in the NCAA, with confirmed membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child is interested in playing, write directly to the coach for that sport: ask whether there is a place on the team, which division it competes in, and whether that sport awards athletic scholarships.
Regarding distance education: 25 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all of their classes online, a high share compared with similar schools. But this is a number for the entire school, not your child’s major. One degree program may be almost entirely online while the program next to it is almost entirely on campus.
The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and participates in interlibrary lending. The institution also reports a broad list of services: combined academic and career counseling, employment assistance, on-campus childcare, the Yellow Ribbon Program and a point of contact for veterans and military families, a veterans’ student organization, and a webpage dedicated to services for people with disabilities. The fact that these services are reported does not indicate how accessible, good, or sufficient they are in practice. Ask directly by speaking with someone who already uses them.
The Numbers That Matter Most: Do Students Stay and Graduate?
This may be the most important section of the article because this is where cost and time truly come together.
Of the cohort of first-time, full-time students who entered in the fall of 2022, 68 out of every 100 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later. This figure is below the majority of the 519 similar universities in this census. The report does not distinguish how many of those 68 are still studying and how many have already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to the rest.
The graduation figure is the one most worth confronting directly, without embellishment: among the first-time, full-time, bachelor’s-degree-seeking students who entered in 2017, 51 out of every 100 had earned a degree from this school six years later. At four years—the timeframe most families build into their budgets—the figure is only 31 out of every 100. The difference between year four and year six is 20 points, and in practice that gap translates into additional semesters that must be budgeted for.
Compared with 518 similar selective public universities, this six-year graduation rate is below the midpoint of the group. Put plainly: after six years, it is nearly an even split between those who have earned a degree from this school and those who have not. The data do not explain the reasons in individual cases—there may be transfers, pauses, or changes of plans—but this figure warrants specific questions before signing anything: What specific support is available to help students finish on time? How long does the program your child is interested in typically take? How are required courses scheduled?
There is a third measure, at eight years, that includes both first-time students and those who already had prior college experience. Of that broader cohort, 51 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this institution after eight years—also below the midpoint among similar schools. Among students who received Pell Grants, the figure was 49 out of every 100, four points below the group without Pell Grants. And one important technical note: 20 out of every 100 in that cohort had an “unknown” enrollment status at the reporting cutoff, which does not mean they dropped out or that they are still studying elsewhere. It simply means the report was unable to determine their status. These two figures—those who graduated here and those who remained enrolled elsewhere—do not add up to one hundred and should not be read as though they do.
What This Information Cannot Tell You
This article cannot tell you what will happen to your child in particular. Institutional averages describe large groups in specific years; they do not predict one person’s experience. We do not know your child’s exact major, financial circumstances, academic preparation, or life plans, and these data cannot know those things for you either.
What the information can tell you, with the certainty provided by an official report, is this: Wichita State University is a large public university with a wide entry gate, a high sticker price for students coming from outside the state, real financial aid that varies by family income, and a graduation rate that barely reaches half within six years. None of these facts is a condemnation or a recommendation. They are the actual terrain on which you would need to build a decision.
Your child’s role is to research the program, prepare applications, speak with admissions, and perhaps visit the campus. Your role is to understand the family’s finances, request the aid letter in writing, compare the actual net price, and ask the uncomfortable questions before signing anything. It is not your job to live your child’s college experience. It is your job to reach the door together, having completed your part on time.
You now know in detail one of the pieces you need to make a decision. Combine it with what your child wants to study, what your child has accomplished so far, and what your family can and is willing to pay. The plan emerges from that combination, not from any single figure.
Source note: The information in this article comes from public reports by IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, primarily covering the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Wichita State University or any government agency; this article is for informational purposes and is not a substitute for direct verification with the institution.