Houston vs Kansas - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Houston: 73.9% against 93.5% (Kansas).
The higher mid-range SAT belongs to Houston: 1240 against 1190, a gap of 50 points.
Neither is international in practice: the share of foreign students does not exceed 5.7%.
How much of assessed need is met differs materially: 78.6% (Kansas) against 55.1%.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Houston is the more selective of the two (73.92% vs 93.48% acceptance). Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #301-400). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($62K vs $62K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $30,432 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Houston for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Kansas for: a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Houston is more selective (73.92% vs 93.48% acceptance); Houston has a higher median SAT (1240 vs 1190).
Houston graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($62K vs $62K); Kansas has a higher 6-year graduation rate (68.8% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $30,432); Kansas offers a larger average aid package ($19,700 vs $16,450).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 93.48% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 25.5% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1190 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 3.68 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 22,363 |
| International students | 5.7% | 3.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $62K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $40K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $88K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 68.8% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 86% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $21,000 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $30,432 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $19,700 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 78.6% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $27,212 |
| Application fee | $75 | $40 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 29,792 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or Kansas?
It's harder to get into Houston. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Kansas accepts 93.48%.
Do Houston or Kansas graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $62K at Houston and $62K at Kansas.
How much is tuition at Houston vs Kansas?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $30,432 per year at Kansas.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or Kansas?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1190 at Kansas; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or Kansas?
Houston ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #301-400 for Kansas.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or Kansas?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $19,700 at Kansas.
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