Friends University vs. KU

Should I go to Friends University or University of Kansas? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Friends University or KU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Friends University vs. University of Kansas comparison
Friends University University of Kansas College 3 College 4
University of Kansas
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Overview

 Friends University KU
Location Wichita, KS Lawrence, KS
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 1,724 26,708
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #723 #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website friends.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Friends University KU
Tuition (In State) $31,172 $10,092
Tuition (Out of State) $31,172 $26,960
Room & Board $8,326 $10,136
Avg Net Price $23,720 $18,950
Avg Grant Aid $19,570 $11,140
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 87%

Admission

 Friends University KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,620 16,204
Admitted 1,025 14,234
Acceptance Rate 63.3% 87.8%
Enrolled % 25.9% 31.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/26 21/28
SAT Range 950/1181 1090/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2025

Academics

 Friends University KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (62%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (6%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (4%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (4%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 Friends University KU
Graduation Rate 27% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,512 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $253 $211

Diversity

 Friends University KU
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 72%
% Black 11% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 8% 5%
% International 0% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 Friends University KU
% In-State 46% 58%
% Out-of-State 50% 39%

Campus

 Friends University KU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than Friends University based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 1,724 students)

Friends University vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Friends University or KU?

  • Friends University is 208.9% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($31,172.00 vs. $10,092.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at Friends University than University of Kansas ($31,172.00 vs. $26,960.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than Friends University ($18,950 vs. $23,720)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Friends University are 21.7% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($8,326 vs. $10,136)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Friends University than University of Kansas (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Friends University students is 75.7% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($19,570 vs. $11,140)

Friends University vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Friends University or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or Friends University .

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 131 points higher than at Friends University (1014)
  • Incoming KU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Friends University (22)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Friends University (3.4)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than Friends University (63.3%)

Friends University vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Friends University or KU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between KU and Friends University.

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than Friends University (61% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $8,100 more per year than Friends University graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $46,500)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $4,012 lower median federal student loan debt than Friends University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,512)
  • KU graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Friends University graduates. ($211 vs. $253)
  • More KU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Friends University students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 54%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/