Washburn University
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus and in-state Kansas residents. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 4,562 students.
About This School
Washburn University is a public institution located in Topeka, Kansas with approximately 4,562 undergraduate students enrolled. The average net price after financial aid is $15,280 per year. The graduation rate is 53%, and the typical graduate earns $43,500 within 10 years of enrollment.
Washburn University (WU), formally Washburn University of Topeka, is a public university in Topeka, Kansas, United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs as well as professional programs in law and business. The university enrolls approximately 5,000 undergraduate students and 700 graduate students as of 2023. As of 2008, Washburn also took over overseeing the nearby Washburn Tech.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: the low average net price of $13,046/year and modest debt at graduation ($12,500) make this one of the more affordable public university options you'll find, which matters. However, a 53% graduation rate and 69% freshman retention rate are real warning signs — roughly half of students who start here don't finish, so you'd want to ask hard questions about academic support and your own readiness before committing. Worth considering if you're cost-conscious and have a clear program in mind, but come in with a plan.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 9% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Washburn University graduates earn most above the national rate in Health and Medical Administrative Services ($66,325 vs $58,716 nationally), and most below it in Computer and Information Sciences, General ($78,778 vs $92,374).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 141 | $79,109 | $88,910 | −$9,801 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 46 | $46,497 | $56,359 | −$9,862 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 45 | $66,325 | $58,716 | +$7,609 |
| Psychology, General | 44 | $49,251 | $50,706 | −$1,455 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 39 | $76,175 | $83,343 | −$7,168 |
| Social Work | 33 | $50,122 | $51,790 | −$1,668 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 29 | $57,079 | $54,562 | +$2,517 |
| Marketing | 26 | $65,379 | $69,303 | −$3,924 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 25 | $78,778 | $92,374 | −$13,596 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 25 | $68,154 | $68,257 | −$103 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 21 | $53,587 | $55,378 | −$1,791 |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 19 | $48,327 | $52,119 | −$3,792 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (4,562 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Washburn University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Washburn University cost?
The average net price at Washburn University is about $15,280 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Washburn University?
Washburn University has a graduation rate of 53%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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