McPherson College
McPherson College is a private research university in McPherson, Kansas, enrolling about 872 students. Admission is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of about 76.76% in federal reporting data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $52,084 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $37,310
- 2024 Average Net Price: $26,441 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 76.76% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 872 99.8% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 33.92%
- Average SAT Score: 1058
McPherson College: what the data shows
Common questions about McPherson College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is McPherson College?
McPherson College is located in McPherson, KS (ZIP 67460-1402).
NCES locale classification: Town remote.
Is McPherson College public or private?
McPherson College is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does McPherson College cost?
Published tuition: $37,310.
Average net price after aid: $26,441.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $22,587 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $20,939 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $28,655 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $28,737 |
| $110,001+ | $31,043 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $149,240.
How hard is it to get into McPherson College?
Admission rate: 76.76%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1058.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is McPherson College?
Total enrollment: 872 students.
About 100% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at McPherson College?
150%-time completion rate: 33.92%.
First-year retention: 65.1%.
What do graduates of McPherson College earn?
Median earnings: $41,446 six years after entry; $52,084 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $25,242.
37.94% of students receive Pell grants.
What is McPherson College known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Other/Unknown Programs (173 completions)
- CIP 150803 (41 completions)
- CIP 520201 (32 completions)
- Health Professions and Related Programs (14 completions)
- Elementary Education & Teaching (10 completions)
- CIP 310504 (8 completions)
- CIP 310508 (7 completions)
- Sociology (7 completions)
- Visual & Performing Arts (7 completions)
- Health & Medical Administrative Services (6 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is McPherson College a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 76.76%; completion rate 33.92%; median earnings $52,084 at 10 years; net price $26,441. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Costs
Tuition Costs
$37,310
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at McPherson College was $37,310.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$26,441
2024 Value
In 2024 McPherson College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $26,441.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$105,764 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$26,441 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$149,240 4-Year Tuition
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional.
4-year total cost breakdown for McPherson College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
37.94% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
63.71% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at McPherson College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for McPherson College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $22,891 | $22,891 | $20,191 |
| 2014 | $24,035 | $24,035 | $19,687 |
| 2015 | $25,236 | $25,236 | $20,003 |
| 2016 | $26,498 | $26,498 | $17,754 |
| 2017 | $27,823 | $27,823 | $21,341 |
| 2018 | $28,951 | $28,951 | $21,871 |
| 2019 | $30,077 | $30,077 | $23,667 |
| 2020 | $31,154 | $31,154 | $26,425 |
| 2021 | $32,408 | $32,408 | $24,423 |
| 2022 | $33,536 | $33,536 | $24,393 |
| 2023 | $35,162 | $35,162 | $24,837 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Admissions
Acceptance Rate
76.76% Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1058
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.0 - 3.4
Estimated Median GPA: 3.20
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
99.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at McPherson College in 2024 is 872 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
65.1%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
28.65% 100% Completion Time
33.92% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 28.65% of students graduating from McPherson College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for McPherson College.
Return on Investment
$25,242 Median Student Debt
$52,084 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
48.46% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
392.45% Return on Investment
4.8 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for McPherson College.
Top Programs by Completions
10 Programs Reporting Data
CIP 15.0803: 41 completions
CIP 52.0201: 32 completions
Health Professions and Related Programs: 14 completions
Elementary Education & Teaching: 10 completions
CIP 31.0504: 8 completions
CIP 31.0508: 7 completions
Sociology: 7 completions
Visual & Performing Arts: 7 completions
Health & Medical Administrative Services: 6 completions
Other/Unknown Programs: 173 completions
Most popular programs at McPherson College.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for McPherson College graduates.
About
McPherson College is a private non-profit institution located in McPherson, KS, offering 31 distinct degree programs across various academic disciplines. The institution enrolls approximately 872 students. The admission rate is 76.76%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1058. The institution maintains a 33.92% graduation rate. Approximately 37.94% of students receive Pell Grants.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Location
McPherson, KS 67460-1402
Region: Plains
Insights and Analysis
Graduation Rate Considerations: The 33.92% graduation rate at McPherson College falls below the national average. Prospective students should carefully consider factors such as academic preparation, support services, and career outcomes when evaluating this institution.
FAQ
How much does McPherson College cost?
Reported in-state tuition is $37,310 and average net price is $26,441 in the latest College Scorecard data.
How hard is it to get into McPherson College?
The admission rate is 76.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data.
What test scores do students need for McPherson College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, McPherson College reports midpoint SAT about 1058.
What do graduates of McPherson College earn?
Median earnings are $41,446 six years after entry and $52,084 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at McPherson College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 33.9% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do McPherson College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,242.
How big is McPherson College?
Total enrollment is about 872 students in the latest reporting year.
Is McPherson College public or private?
McPherson College is a private nonprofit institution located in McPherson, KS.
Is McPherson College an HBCU?
No. McPherson College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is McPherson College a tribal college?
No. McPherson College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is McPherson College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, McPherson College does not meet that proxy (reported share 14.4%).
Is McPherson College religiously affiliated?
Yes. IPEDS reports a religious affiliation for McPherson College: Church of Brethren.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.