St. Ambrose University vs. KU

Should I go to Saint Ambrose University or University of Kansas? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Ambrose 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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Saint Ambrose University vs. University of Kansas comparison
Saint Ambrose University University of Kansas College 3 College 4
Saint Ambrose University University of Kansas
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Overview

 St. Ambrose University KU
Location Davenport, IA Lawrence, KS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 2,703 28,406
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #437 #291
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sau.edu ku.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 St. Ambrose University KU
Tuition (In State) $35,318 $10,596
Tuition (Out of State) $35,318 $28,308
Room & Board $12,348 $10,818
Avg Net Price $23,578 $18,322
Avg Grant Aid $26,559 $10,644
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 89%

Admission

 St. Ambrose University KU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,456 19,226
Admitted 2,534 16,958
Acceptance Rate 73.3% 88.2%
Enrolled % 16.7% 31%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/27 21/27
SAT Range 1020/1240 1050/1290
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 15, 2026

Academics

 St. Ambrose University KU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (11%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

 St. Ambrose University KU
Graduation Rate 62% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,300 $54,600
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,764 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $266 $211

Diversity

 St. Ambrose University KU
% Men 7% 11%
% Women 15% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 72%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 St. Ambrose University KU
% In-State 37% 55%
% Out-of-State 60% 43%

Campus

 St. Ambrose 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 St. Ambrose University based on total student enrollment (28,406 students vs. 2,703 students)

St. Ambrose University vs. KU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Ambrose University or KU?

  • Saint Ambrose University is 233.3% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($35,318.00 vs. $10,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 24.8% higher at St. Ambrose University than University of Kansas ($35,318.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than St. Ambrose University ($18,322 vs. $23,578)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 14.1% lower than costs at Saint Ambrose University ($10,818 vs. $12,348)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Saint Ambrose University than University of Kansas (100% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Saint Ambrose University students is 149.5% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($26,559 vs. $10,644)

St. Ambrose University vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 95 points higher than at St. Ambrose University (1050)
  • Incoming KU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at St. Ambrose University (23)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at St. Ambrose University (3.39)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than St. Ambrose University (73.3%)

St. Ambrose University vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Ambrose 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 St. Ambrose University .

  • The graduation rate at St. Ambrose University is higher than University of Kansas (62% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $6,300 more per year than St. Ambrose University graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $48,300)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $5,264 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,764)
  • KU graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than St. Ambrose University graduates. ($211 vs. $266)
  • More St. Ambrose University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 66%)

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