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Kansas Wesleyan University

Private nonprofit Salina, KS · Town · Plains · 93% data
B Earnings C+ Selectivity C+ Diversity
Graduation Rate
43% D+
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$51,152 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$22,671 D+
32% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
72% C+
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +25% vs avg
Graduation -25% vs avg
Net Price 32% vs avg

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 13.2× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $13.2 over 20 years.

13.2× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $13.2 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,104,197.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 25% above the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 43% — 25% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $13.2 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Kansas Wesleyan University Matters

Kansas Wesleyan University is a private college in Salina, KS and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private College
Carnegie Class
Baccalaureate College
Enrollment
956
Setting
Town
Designations
71
Primary Strengths
Criminal Justice, Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical

Why students choose Kansas Wesleyan University

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Close mentorship
A small, undergraduate-focused community
Strength in Criminal Justice
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 51% overall
B
Earnings
$51,152 median
C-
Value
2.3× net price
D+
Affordability
$22,671/yr net
D+
Graduation
43% graduate
C+
Selectivity
72% admit rate
C+
Diversity
0.63 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of 956 students, Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, KS, is a solid choice for those seeking a close-knit community and personalized education. The acceptance rate of 72% means that we’ll find a diverse group of students, many of whom pursue top programs in fields like Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Criminal Justice, Psychology, and Physical Sciences. This variety allows students to explore their interests while receiving practical training for their future careers.

Looking at life after graduation, the potential earnings of $51,152 after ten years paint a positive picture for those who earn their degrees here. While the graduation rate sits at 43%, many students find pathways to success that help them build fulfilling careers. Affordability is also a key factor, with a net price of $22,671—a figure that makes it accessible for many families. Though we don’t have mobility rates available, the financial outlook suggests that graduates can achieve stability and growth.

On the financial side, students face a median debt of $23,250, which is manageable given the earnings potential. Those who thrive here often appreciate the supportive environment and the chance to connect with faculty and peers. Kansas Wesleyan University is a great fit for students looking for a balance between academic rigor and a community-focused experience, all while keeping an eye on affordability and outcomes.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Kansas Wesleyan University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Kansas Wesleyan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Salina, Kansas, Kansas Wesleyan University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.

Acceptance Rate
72%
Retention Rate
60%
Full-Time Faculty
100%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,316
Student–Faculty Ratio
14:1
Diversity Index
0.63
First-Gen Students
33%
Applicants
1,356
Admitted
944

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Kansas Wesleyan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Kansas Wesleyan University is $34,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,671. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,192 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,250 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$34,630
Out-of-State
$34,630
Avg Net Price
$22,671
Median Debt
$23,250
Pell Grant Rate
39%
Federal Loan Rate
71%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$18,192
Family Income $30K–$48K
$22,442
Family Income $48K–$75K
$20,857
Family Income $110K+
$25,113

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Kansas Wesleyan University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Kansas Wesleyan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Kansas Wesleyan University earn a median of $51,152, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$44,811
8 Years
$51,097
10 Years
$51,152
Debt-to-Earnings
0.45x
Earning > $25K
58%

Earnings Trajectory

$44,811 6yr $51,097 8yr $51,152 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (55)
39%
100% (55)
39%
100% (55)
39%
100% (55)
39%

How Kansas Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation43%Earnings 10yr$51KNet Price$23KRetention60%Median Debt$23KPell Grant Rate39%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$18K$0-30K$22K$30-48K$21K$48-75K$25K$110K+
0

College ROI Calculator

Is Kansas Wesleyan University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Kansas Wesleyan University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,671/year ($90,684 total). Graduates earn $51,152 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,194,881 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,104,197 (13.2× your investment). The median debt is $23,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 43% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$90,684
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,194,881
Net Return
$1,104,197
ROI Multiple
13.2×
Cost Per Year
$22,671
Median Debt
$23,250
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
43%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

0

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Kansas Wesleyan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Kansas Wesleyan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.65, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.65
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.03
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
3.6%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-4,019,959

Top Programs

The fields Kansas Wesleyan University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Kansas Wesleyan University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Based in Salina, Kansas, Kansas Wesleyan University admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 72%. The graduation rate is roughly 43%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Kansas Wesleyan University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Kansas Wesleyan University is $34,630, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,671. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $18,192 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $23,250 in federal student loans.

Is Kansas Wesleyan University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Kansas Wesleyan University earn a median of $51,152, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Kansas Wesleyan University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Kansas Wesleyan University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 0.00%, a more modest figure. About 5.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 0% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $66,000, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Kansas Wesleyan University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Kansas Wesleyan University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.65, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys