KU vs. TU

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

 KU TU
Location Lawrence, KS Towson, MD
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 28,406 19,527
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #375
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu towson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU TU
Tuition (In State) $10,596 $7,382
Tuition (Out of State) $28,308 $24,402
Room & Board $10,818 $15,644
Avg Net Price $18,322 $15,064
Avg Grant Aid $10,644 $11,565
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 62%

Admission

 KU TU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,226 18,948
Admitted 16,958 15,689
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 82.8%
Enrolled % 31% 19.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 19/28
SAT Range 1050/1290 1050/1270
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, 2026 Apr 1, 2026

Academics

 KU TU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 KU TU
Graduation Rate 61% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $17,750
Median Loan Payment $211 $183

Diversity

 KU TU
% Men 11% 4%
% Women 16% 12%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 61%
% Black 4% 18%
% Hispanic 7% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 KU TU
% In-State 55% 90%
% Out-of-State 43% 9%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than TU based on total student enrollment (28,406 students vs. 19,527 students)

KU vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or TU?

  • University of Kansas is 43.5% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($10,596.00 vs. $7,382.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16% higher at KU than Towson University ($28,308.00 vs. $24,402.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than KU ($15,064 vs. $18,322)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 44.6% lower than costs at Towson University ($10,818 vs. $15,644)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than Towson University (89% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 8.7% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($11,565 vs. $10,644)

KU vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 64 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming KU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman TU students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at KU (3.66)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than TU (82.8%)

KU vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KU or TU? 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 TU and KU.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than University of Kansas (64% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $1,100 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $53,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than KU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $20,500)
  • TU graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than KU graduates. ($183 vs. $211)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 66%)

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