Ottawa University-Online is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Overland Park, Kansas. It enrolls 259 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
78/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes80
Value—
Affordability41
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Ottawa University-Online does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.
Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. Ottawa University-Online has not reported one, so ask the financial aid office for a written estimate before comparing it against anywhere else.
Average Net Price
—
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
41%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$13,296
Room & Board (off-campus)
$18,080
Books & Supplies
$650
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,040
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,19710%percentile
$6,38325%percentile
$21,500Medianpercentile
$23,50075%percentile
$32,37590%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $13,100
↓ $8,400
No Pell $12,000
↓ $9,500
Dependent students $10,000
↓ $11,500
Independent students $17,123
↓ $4,377
Female students $14,680
↓ $6,820
Male students $10,500
↓ $11,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
27% of students who start here finish within six years, and 100% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
27%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
100%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $55,552 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$55,552
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$44,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$56,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$40,900
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$46,800
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $11,800, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
13.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 70% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 259 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 40% are the first in their family to go to college, and 70% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
259
Part-Time
70%
First-Generation
40%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 46.0%119
Hispanic 25.5%66
Other 13.1%34
Black 10.8%28
Asian 1.5%4
International 1.2%3
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Ottawa University-Online. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Ottawa University-Online offers
a varied set of programs:
34 distinct programs across
11 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 8 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.
Student : Faculty
8:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Pros & Cons of Ottawa University-Online
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Ottawa University-Online is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Ottawa University-Online is a fit for
working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ottawa University-Online
The questions families ask most about Ottawa University-Online, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
What is Ottawa University-Online known for?
Mostly Business Administration, IT Administration, Counseling Psychology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Ottawa University-Online graduates earn?
About $55,552 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Ottawa University-Online accredited?
Yes. Ottawa University-Online is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Ottawa University-Online?
259 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Ottawa University-Online?
27% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Ottawa University-Online a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Ottawa University-Online located?
Ottawa University-Online is located in Overland Park, Kansas.
What programs does Ottawa University-Online offer?
34 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, IT Administration, Counseling Psychology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Ottawa University-Online?
8 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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