Private Nonprofit Graduate Good 66/100

Rockhurst University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

Kansas City, Missouri

About Rockhurst University

Thinking about Rockhurst University, a college in Missouri where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Rockhurst University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Kansas City, Missouri. It enrolls 1,580 students (a mid-sized 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.

Acceptance
69.6%
Graduation
76.3%
Net Price
$25,884
Median Earnings (10yr)
$67,102
Enrollment
1,580
Student : Faculty
12:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

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 Selective), 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.

Good
66/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 75
Value 46
Affordability 22
Selectivity 51

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Rockhurst University admits 69.6% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
69.6%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
19 – 26
Cumulative composite
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Rockhurst University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 5.4 pts since 2019
63.7%201972.9%202066.7%202166.5%202269.1%2023

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. At $25,884 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$25,884
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
35%
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
$44,966
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,920
Room & Board (off-campus)
$19,175
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,923
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,923
Total Cost of Attendance
$59,898

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $22,797
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $19,895
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $21,997
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $26,522
  • Over $110,000
    $30,348

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.

$3,991
10% percentile
$6,500
25% percentile
$18,250
Median percentile
$27,000
75% percentile
$31,250
90% 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 $12,500 ↓ $5,750
No Pell $12,500 ↓ $5,750
Dependent students $13,046 ↓ $5,204
Independent students $12,500 ↓ $5,750
Female students $12,500 ↓ $5,750
Male students $15,750 ↓ $2,500
Pell recipients: 15.9% (2,895 students)No Pell: 15.9% (2,895 students)Dependent students: 16.6% (3,022 students)Independent students: 15.9% (2,895 students)Female students: 15.9% (2,895 students)Male students: 20.0% (3,648 students)Overall Median$18,250
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,289, less than completers ($18,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

76% of students who start here finish within six years, and 81% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. 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
76%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
81%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $67,102 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$67,102
Earning > $25K
86%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$61,000$62,000$64,000$66,000$68,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$51,600

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$67,100

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$53,300

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$60,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$56,700

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $15,500, about 23% 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 ↑ 10.6 pts across 6 years
78.8%1yr81.6%3yr86.8%5yr89.3%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,580 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled
1,580
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
21%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 61.7% 975
Hispanic 18.5% 292
Black 7.9% 125
Other 3.9% 61
Asian 3.8% 60
International 3.3% 52
White: 61.7% (975 students)Hispanic: 18.5% (292 students)Black: 7.9% (125 students)Other: 3.9% (61 students)Asian: 3.8% (60 students)International: 3.3% (52 students)Total1,580

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Rockhurst University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Kansas City, Missouri
Housing
Mostly residential 851 beds on campus
Adult Learners
9% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Rockhurst University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 51 distinct programs across 18 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.

14 Programs
5 Programs
2 Programs
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$118M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$72,236
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

144 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 33 23% $85,209
Associate Professors 40 28% $69,512
Assistant Professors 64 44% $69,357
Instructors 7 5% $49,756

Pros & Cons of Rockhurst University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Rockhurst University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Strong six-year graduation rate
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for: Based on the data, Rockhurst University is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.

Frequently Asked Questions about Rockhurst University

The questions families ask most about Rockhurst University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Rockhurst University hard to get into?
Admissions at Rockhurst University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 69.6%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Rockhurst University?
69.6% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Rockhurst University?
Aim for 26 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 19 and 26 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Rockhurst University cost?
Budget around $25,884 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Rockhurst University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $67,102 a year against a net price of $25,884, about 2.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Rockhurst University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Business Administration, Business Administration. 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 Rockhurst University graduates earn?
About $67,102 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 Rockhurst University accredited?
Yes. Rockhurst University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Rockhurst University?
1,580 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 Rockhurst University?
76% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Rockhurst University 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 Rockhurst University located?
Rockhurst University is located in Kansas City, Missouri.
What programs does Rockhurst University offer?
51 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Business Administration, Business Administration. 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 Rockhurst University?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.