Kansas State University College Portrait
Kansas State UniversityManhattan, KS 66506
800-432-8270/785-532-6250
Kansas State University
Kansas State University welcomes you
At Kansas State University, students have a classic college experience in a friendly environment where faculty and staff truly care about student success. Choose from more than 250 majors and options; award winning programs; and professors at the top of their fields. K-State, one of the nation's first land-grant schools, offers a multi-campus system committed to diversity, outstanding teaching, and a student-centered environment. The university is home to about 450 student organizations, Big 12 athletics, and top-tier research facilities. Wildcats find what they need on campus — from the rec complex to the libraries to nationally known speakers and performers — and in the community, which offers outdoor recreation, shopping, nightlife, and a healthy dose of purple pride. Undergraduates interested in research work side-by-side in the labs with some of the world's best scientists. As the research hub for world renowned scientists in animal health and food safety, K-Staters work daily to impact the world and make it better.
Living in the K-State Community
The K-State community, where everyone is a Wildcat
K-State's main campus in Manhattan is nestled in the Flint Hills where students enjoy a small-town atmosphere with big city amenities. K-State also has campuses in Salina and Olathe. On campus, students take advantage of part-time campus jobs and internships to prepare them for their future careers. In their spare time, students attend Big 12 athletic events, music, dance and theater performances, as well as student and professional gallery displays. For serious study times, students have a choice of several K-State libraries or can cozy up to the fire while studying in the Union or the Alumni Center. Get physical working out at the Peters Recreation Complex, play intramural sports, bowl in the Union or go for a run on campus. When students are ready to expand their horizons with study abroad, K-State offers more than 70 countries to go to through K-State's study abroad program. To help with the adjustment students have living away from home and learning to use their time effectively to achieve all their goals, the Office of Student Life provides caring services that help each student feel supported in the university environment. K-State is known for its personal touch and family environment.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 23,863 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 19,385 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 9,244 | 48% |
| Men | 10,141 | 52% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 81 | <1% |
| Asian | 258 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 830 | 4% |
| Hispanic | 1,041 | 5% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 34 | <1% |
| White | 15,304 | 79% |
| Two or More Races | 474 | 2% |
| International | 1,096 | 6% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 267 | 1% |
| Where do K-State undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 80% |
| Other US States & Territories | 15% |
| Other Countries | 5% |
| How old are K-State undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 21 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 10% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2011)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $19,629.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Kansas State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 33% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $4,290.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 43% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,417.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
K-State Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 20 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 20% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 89% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 975 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 38% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 16% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 84% |
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Campus-based Housing
72% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
24% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
Crime statistics compiled annually by the K-State Office of Student Life show K-State is among the safest universities in the Big 12. K-State is safe because faculty, students, and staff approach campus safety as a shared responsibility. The campus community has adopted the Principles of Community, which state the type of welcoming, safe, and inclusive community K-State strives to be. Together we make K-State what it is: a safe, supportive, and caring community where the well-being of each of us is the responsibility of all of us.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Research Universities (very high research activity)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, more selective, lower transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Comprehensive doctoral with medical/veterinary
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at K-State
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 93% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 59% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 33% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 85% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 18% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 49% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 65% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 13% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 93% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 97% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 75% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 71% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 94% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 66% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 81% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 96% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 70% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 59% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 88% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 39% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 90% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 91% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 86% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Kansas State University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Associate's | 65 |
| Bachelor's | 3,568 |
| Master's | 992 |
| Doctoral | 269 |
| Total | 4,894 |
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| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Animal Sciences, General | 4% |
| Elementary Education and Teaching | 4% |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General | 4% |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General | 4% |
| Social Sciences, General | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at Kansas State University |
|---|
Associate'sBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 84% four-year success and progress rate means that 84% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 3,105 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 1,388 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 82%
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Student Learning at Kansas State University
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
K-State is committed to student learning and to providing the highest quality educational experiences for its students. The university upholds assessment of student learning and the use of the results of assessment as key strategies to ensure continuous improvement of student leaning. Student learning outcomes at the university, degree program, and support program levels provide a shared vision of what we value and what students are expected to learn. Within a culture of reflection, scholarship, trust, and shared responsibilities, faculty, with participation from students, administrators, alumni, and K-State constituents, develop and implement ongoing and systematic assessment strategies to understand what, how much, and how students learn. Through the use of both direct and indirect sources of evidence of student performance, results from assessment guide collective actions for, among others, curricular change, better learning opportunities for students, improvement of teaching, and more effective academic support services.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
Results will be posted as soon as they become available.