Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
22% gap between the two groups
19% gap between the two groups
8% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $13,178 |
| $30k–$48k | $14,143 |
| $48k–$75k | $15,369 |
| $75k–$110k | $20,110 |
| $110k+ | $23,665 |
How Kansas State University compares
This college against the Kansas and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Kansas State University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Kansas State University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $105,727 | $24,000 | +1,177% | Strong return |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Associate's | $94,083 | $27,000 | +909% | Strong return |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Associate's | $92,359 | $23,000 | +904% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $91,586 | $21,000 | +903% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $89,754 | $22,116 | +855% | Strong return |
| Architectural Engineering | Associate's | $88,031 | $26,726 | +786% | Strong return |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General | Associate's | $85,606 | $21,950 | +768% | Strong return |
| Agricultural and Food Products Processing | Associate's | $83,856 | $23,250 | +722% | Strong return |
| Food Science and Technology | Certificate | $107,229 | — | +702% | Strong return |
| Accounting and Related Services | Associate's | $79,534 | $21,500 | +640% | Strong return |
| Architecture | Associate's | $73,612 | — | +637% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $77,352 | $25,000 | +575% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $75,615 | $20,625 | +561% | Strong return |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Certificate | $101,078 | $23,050 | +552% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $73,166 | $23,250 | +496% | Strong return |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Associate's | $71,863 | $20,150 | +482% | Strong return |
| Marketing | Associate's | $72,115 | $22,375 | +477% | Strong return |
| Political Science and Government | Associate's | $72,168 | $24,519 | +469% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $67,390 | $22,982 | +375% | Strong return |
| Gerontology | Associate's | $66,752 | $24,083 | +357% | Strong return |
| Natural Sciences | Associate's | $65,682 | $20,500 | +347% | Strong return |
| Biology, General | Associate's | $65,318 | $18,900 | +345% | Strong return |
| Veterinary Medicine | Doctoral | $113,136 | $208,940 | +343% | Strong return |
| Business/Commerce, General | Associate's | $64,510 | $25,000 | +307% | Strong return |
| Food Science and Technology | Associate's | $62,917 | $23,187 | +279% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Kansas State University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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