Public Graduate Good 70/100

Washburn University

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

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Topeka, Kansas

About Washburn University

Thinking about Washburn University, a college in Kansas 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.

Washburn University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Topeka, Kansas. It enrolls 4,562 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
—
Graduation
47%
Net Price
$15,280
Median Earnings (10yr)
$49,774
Enrollment
4,562
Student : Faculty
13:1

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 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.

Good
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 69
Value 50
Affordability 41
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Washburn University 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 Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.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. At $15,280 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. 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
$15,280
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
34%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
31%
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 (in-state)
$9,945
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$20,949
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,501
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,313
Books & Supplies
$807
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,294
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,294
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,512

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
    $20,310
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $9,693
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $10,758
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $13,922
  • Over $110,000
    $15,472

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.

$2,769
10% percentile
$5,500
25% percentile
$18,127
Median percentile
$25,000
75% percentile
$39,500
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 $14,250 ↓ $3,877
No Pell $11,000 ↓ $7,127
Dependent students $12,250 ↓ $5,877
Independent students $13,579 ↓ $4,548
Female students $13,250 ↓ $4,877
Male students $11,685 ↓ $6,442
Pell recipients: 18.7% (3,398 students)No Pell: 14.5% (2,623 students)Dependent students: 16.1% (2,921 students)Independent students: 17.9% (3,238 students)Female students: 17.4% (3,160 students)Male students: 15.4% (2,787 students)Overall Median$18,127
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $9,500, less than completers ($18,127), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

47% of students who start here finish within six years, and 69% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. 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
47%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
69%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $49,774 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$49,774
Earning > $25K
77%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$42,000$44,000$46,000$49,000$51,0006 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
$40,200

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

Male graduates
$49,500

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$37,200

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

Family income (middle third)
$46,200

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

Family income (highest third)
$47,700

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,300, about 19% 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 ↑ 19.8 pts across 6 years
61.5%1yr66.1%3yr74.3%5yr81.4%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 81% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 4,562 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 38% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
4,562
Part-Time
16%
First-Generation
38%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
White 59.1% 2,694
Hispanic 16.2% 738
Black 8.7% 395
Other 7.7% 352
International 5.7% 258
Asian 1.1% 48
White: 59.1% (2,694 students)Hispanic: 16.2% (738 students)Black: 8.7% (395 students)Other: 7.7% (352 students)International: 5.7% (258 students)Asian: 1.1% (48 students)Total4,562

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Topeka, Kansas
Housing
Partly residential 852 beds available
Adult Learners
19% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

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.

Washburn University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 73 distinct programs across 25 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.

15 Programs
13 Programs
1 Program
4 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$10,039
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$197M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$77,127
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

251 instructional faculty across 5 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 68 27% $106,523
Associate Professors 46 18% $78,082
Assistant Professors 48 19% $72,416
Lecturers 87 35% $56,891
No Rank 2 1% $48,986

Pros & Cons of Washburn University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Washburn 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
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
CONS
  • Below-average completion rate
  • First-year retention is below typical

Frequently Asked Questions about Washburn University

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

How much does Washburn University cost?
Budget around $15,280 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 Washburn University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $49,774 a year against a net price of $15,280, about 3.3 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 Washburn University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Law. 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 Washburn University graduates earn?
About $49,774 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 Washburn University accredited?
Yes. Washburn University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Washburn University?
4,562 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Washburn University?
47% 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 Washburn University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Washburn University located?
Washburn University is located in Topeka, Kansas.
What programs does Washburn University offer?
73 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Liberal Arts, Law. 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 Washburn University?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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