Wichita State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially Wichita State University · Wichita, Kansas · Public · Moderately selective · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- 9,270
- Applicants
- 6,685
- Admitted72%
- 1,819
- Enrolled
- 27%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Moderately selective72% admittedRanked #288 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #146 (tie), Business Programs #199 (tie), Computer Science #193 (tie), Nursing #243 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by Wichita State University (see the source), read on 2026-06-14.
Is Wichita State a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Wichita State against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Wichita State is a public university in Wichita, Kansas that admits about 72% of applicants, making it a moderately selective school. The average family pays about $13,194 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Business Administration, Management and Operations, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 51% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.5 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Wichita State is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas with a moderately selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, Wichita State admits about half to three-quarters of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 72%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1100 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,194 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Wichita State?
52% of enrolled students at Wichita State had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.38, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
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What does Wichita State weight in admissions?
Wichita State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Academic GPA
- Standardized test scores
Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Class rank
Considered
1- Extracurricular activities
Not Considered
13- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Interview
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Wichita State typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 435–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 552. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–25. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 913 |
| 50th percentile | 1100 |
| 75th percentile | 1240 |
| % submitting SAT | 5.7% |
| 25th percentile | 18 |
| 50th percentile | 21 |
| 75th percentile | 25 |
| % submitting ACT | 69.4% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Kansas rules: admitted with ACT 21+ OR a 2.25+ GPA, so a test isn't required for accredited-HS grads. Non-accredited/homeschool and GED applicants need ACT 21.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Wichita State's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 14.5% |
| Top 25% of class | 36.2% |
| Top 50% of class | 76.6% |
| % submitting class rank | 100% |
How much does Wichita State actually cost?
Published tuition is $9,684 for in-state students and $19,869 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,420 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,194 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 31% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $7,793 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $18,458 |
| Room and board | $13,540 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $13,194 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 60% |
| Average need-based grant | $8,299 |
| Average merit award, no financial need457 first-year students received one | $1,099 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 51% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $23,225 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $40 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Wichita State
| Notification date | Other: within 2 weeks of submission |
| Reply deadline | No set date |
Will my child graduate from Wichita State?
These predict outcomes at Wichita State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Wichita State
The most popular undergraduate programs at Wichita State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Business Administration, Management and Operations. Across all programs, Wichita State confers roughly 1,033 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $66,435 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 287 | n/a |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 154 | $66,435 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 139 | $57,299 |
| Psychology, General | 121 | $44,476 |
| Accounting and Related Services | 90 | $72,214 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 83 | $45,796 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 83 | $30,426 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 76 | $88,218 |
Is Wichita State safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Wichita State disclosed 27 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 11 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Wichita State?
About 13% of undergraduates at Wichita State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 4% of men join a fraternity and 3% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
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Next steps for Wichita State
Common questions parents ask about Wichita State
What GPA do I need for Wichita State?
52% of enrolled students at Wichita State had a high school GPA of 3.50 or above, and the average was 3.38, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Wichita State typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 435–630, with an EBRW midpoint near 552. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 17–25.
How much does Wichita State actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Wichita State after grants and scholarships is $13,194 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $9,684 and $19,869 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is Wichita State realistic for my child?
Wichita State admits 72% of applicants, so 435–630 SAT Math is target range and below 435 is a reach. Then check the $13,194 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Wichita State?
Wichita State accepts about 72% of applicants out of roughly 9,270 who apply each year. That makes it a moderately selective school.
Is Wichita State test-optional?
Yes. Wichita State is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered. Kansas rules: admitted with ACT 21+ OR a 2.25+ GPA, so a test isn't required for accredited-HS grads. Non-accredited/homeschool and GED applicants need ACT 21.
What is the graduation rate at Wichita State?
About 51% of students at Wichita State graduate within six years. 72% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Wichita State look for in applicants?
Wichita State rates GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Wichita State a public or private school, and where is it located?
Wichita State is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas.
What are the most popular majors at Wichita State?
The largest undergraduate majors at Wichita State by annual graduates are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods, Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing and Business Administration, Management and Operations. The school awards about 1,033 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Wichita State safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Wichita State reported 27 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.5 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Wichita State?
At Wichita State, 13% of undergraduates live on campus, 4% of men are in fraternities, 3% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Wichita State University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers