Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS 66762
About Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University is a public research university in Pittsburg, Kansas, serving roughly 4,210 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 89.42% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $50,579 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Pittsburg State University charges 52% above the national public median tuition ($8,400).
- Versus the Kansas median, sticker tuition is 10% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 56.59%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $50,579.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Pittsburg State University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 701% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
Pittsburg State University awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 75 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburg State University | $8,400 | $15,784 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Kansas (state median) | $9,282 | $9,905 | 60 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Pittsburg State University really?
Key findings
- Pittsburg State University charges 52% above the national public median tuition ($8,400).
- Versus the Kansas median, sticker tuition is 10% below.
Pittsburg State University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $8,400
Finding Pittsburg State University charges 52% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $8,400. That is 52% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Kansas median ($9,282), sticker tuition is 10% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 29% below.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Pittsburg State University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Pittsburg State University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Pittsburg State University is $15,784.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $15,784 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $5,879 above the Kansas median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $813 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Pittsburg State University, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Pittsburg State University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Pittsburg State University—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$8,400
Out-of-state tuition
$19,744
Avg. net price
$15,784
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $11,968 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $11,453 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,676 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $18,873 |
| $110,001+ | $20,237 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $33,600. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Pittsburg State University is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies1,370
- Elementary Education and Teaching133
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other119
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse106
- Psychology, General89
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 35% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1050
- Midpoint ACT: 21
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Pittsburg State University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Pittsburg State University is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Pittsburg State University.
Campus
Location
Pittsburg, KS
City / state
- ZIP
- 66762
- NCES locale
- Town distant
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 5% above the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
4,210
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 4,991
- Graduate
- 1,283
- Full-time share
- 92%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$18,969
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 30.46%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Pittsburg State University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Pittsburg State University 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 Pittsburg State University 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 | $5,906 | $15,786 | $12,040 |
| 2014 | $6,230 | $16,336 | $12,395 |
| 2015 | $6,508 | $16,978 | $13,002 |
| 2016 | $6,910 | $17,662 | $13,446 |
| 2017 | $7,100 | $18,152 | $14,214 |
| 2018 | $7,298 | $18,642 | $13,910 |
| 2019 | $7,338 | $18,682 | $14,436 |
| 2020 | $7,504 | $18,848 | $14,575 |
| 2021 | $7,744 | $19,088 | $14,255 |
| 2022 | $7,970 | $19,654 | $16,240 |
| 2023 | $8,008 | $19,692 | $18,889 |
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.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1050 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 21 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Pittsburg State University reported total enrollment of about 4,210 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (77.6%), Hispanic or Latino (8.0%), and Two or More Races (6.5%). About 30.46% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 32.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
92.4% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Pittsburg State University in 2024 is 4,210 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,991 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,283 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
77.2%
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.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
36.40% 100% Completion Time
56.59% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 36.40% of students graduating from Pittsburg State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 44% male / 56% female
- Elementary Education and Teaching: 18% male / 82% female
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other: 46% male / 54% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Pittsburg State University graduates earn a median of $50,579 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Pittsburg State University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $50,579. Median federal loan debt: $18,969. Average net price used in cost models: $15,784.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Pittsburg State University graduates report median earnings of $50,579 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Pittsburg State University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (75 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Pittsburg State University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Pittsburg State University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Pittsburg State University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$106.2M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Kansas median 7.8× the median ($13.6M)
- Plains median 4.4× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 4.0× the median ($26.4M)
- Kansas median 1.3× the median ($15,453)
- Plains median 1.3× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 66.1%
- Kansas median 1.0 pp above median (65.2%)
- Plains median 1.4 pp above median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 8.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $8,130
- Kansas median 1.3× the median ($6,380)
- Plains median 1.1× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,572
- Kansas median 1.5× the median ($6,600)
- Plains median 1.2× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Pittsburg State University at a glance
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University is a public institution in Pittsburg, KS, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesElementary Education and TeachingManagement Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian77.6%Hispanic or Latino8.0%Two or More Races6.5%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Pittsburg State University
Other campuses in Pittsburg, KS when available, plus nearby institutions in Kansas.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Kansas, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Pittsburg State University located?
Pittsburg State University is located in Pittsburg, KS.
What is Pittsburg State University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Pittsburg State University is 89.4% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 2,856 applicants and 2,518 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Pittsburg State University's tuition?
Pittsburg State University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $8,400 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $15,784 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Pittsburg State University cost?
Reported tuition is $8,400 and average net price is $15,784 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,234 annually.
What explains Pittsburg State University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($15,784), completion (56.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($50,579). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Pittsburg State University?
Pittsburg State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,991 students, White (77.6%), Hispanic or Latino (8.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Pittsburg State University?
About 32.3% of students at Pittsburg State University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Pittsburg State University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Pittsburg State University reports midpoint SAT about 1050 and midpoint ACT about 21.
What do graduates of Pittsburg State University earn?
Median earnings are $43,793 six years after entry and $50,579 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Pittsburg State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 56.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Pittsburg State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $18,969.
Is Pittsburg State University public or private?
Pittsburg State University is a public institution located in Pittsburg, KS.
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 Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.