Kansas vs Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Virginia admits 16.8% of applications, Kansas admits 93.5%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Kansas reports aid for international students ($11,164 on average), Virginia does not.
The tuition gap is $32,491 a year: $30,432 (Kansas) against $62,923.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Virginia: $87K against $62K.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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
Virginia is the more selective of the two (16.81% vs 93.48% acceptance). Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #201-300). Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $62K). Kansas has lower sticker-price tuition ($30,432 vs $62,923 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 Kansas for: lower tuition.
Choose Virginia for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Virginia is more selective (16.81% vs 93.48% acceptance); Virginia has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1190).
Virginia graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($87K vs $62K); Virginia has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.6% vs 68.8%).
Kansas has lower sticker-price tuition ($30,432 vs $62,923); Virginia offers a larger average aid package ($37,123 vs $19,700).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Kansas | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #201-300 |
| Rank · THE | - | - |
| Acceptance rate | 93.48% | 16.81% |
| Yield rate | 25.5% | 40% |
| Median SAT | 1190 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.68 | - |
| Number of applications | 22,363 | 58,951 |
| International students | 3.1% | 4.9% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $87K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $40K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $88K | $130K |
| Graduation rate | 68.8% | 95.6% |
| Retention rate | 86% | 97.9% |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $30,432 | $62,923 |
| Avg. aid package | $19,700 | $37,123 |
| % of need met | 78.6% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,212 | $25,137 |
| Application fee | $40 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 29,792 | 26,470 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Kansas or Virginia?
It's harder to get into Virginia. Kansas accepts 93.48% of applicants, while Virginia accepts 16.81%.
Do Kansas or Virginia graduates earn more?
Virginia graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $87K vs $62K.
How much is tuition at Kansas vs Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $30,432 per year at Kansas and $62,923 per year at Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Kansas or Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1190 at Kansas and 1470 at Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Kansas or Virginia?
Virginia ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Kansas vs #201-300 for Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Kansas or Virginia?
The average aid package is $19,700 at Kansas and $37,123 at Virginia.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern