KU vs. URI

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

 KU URI
Location Lawrence, KS Kingston, RI
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 28,406 17,351
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #353
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu uri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU URI
Tuition (In State) $10,596 $14,116
Tuition (Out of State) $28,308 $33,512
Room & Board $10,818 $14,900
Avg Net Price $18,322 $20,964
Avg Grant Aid $10,644 $12,803
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 98%

Admission

 KU URI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,226 25,391
Admitted 16,958 19,568
Acceptance Rate 88.2% 77.1%
Enrolled % 31% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/27 26/31
SAT Range 1050/1290 1030/1270
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 KU URI
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 KU URI
Graduation Rate 61% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,438
Median Loan Payment $211 $242

Diversity

 KU URI
% Men 11% 6%
% Women 16% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 71%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

 KU URI
% In-State 55% 39%
% Out-of-State 43% 60%

Campus

 KU URI
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 URI based on total student enrollment (28,406 students vs. 17,351 students)

KU vs. URI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or URI?

  • University of Rhode Island is 33.2% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($14,116.00 vs. $10,596.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at URI than University of Kansas ($33,512.00 vs. $28,308.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than URI ($18,322 vs. $20,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 37.7% lower than costs at University of Rhode Island ($10,818 vs. $14,900)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Rhode Island than University of Kansas (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Rhode Island students is 20.3% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($12,803 vs. $10,644)

KU vs. URI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 68 points higher than at URI (1077)
  • Incoming KU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at URI (24)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at URI (3.58)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than URI (77.1%)

KU vs. URI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at URI is higher than University of Kansas (63% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from University of Rhode Island earn on average $1,600 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $54,600)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $2,938 lower median federal student loan debt than URI graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,438)
  • KU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than URI graduates. ($211 vs. $242)
  • More URI 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/