KU vs. USAO

Should I go to University of Kansas or University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if KU or USAO 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 Science and Arts of Oklahoma comparison
University of Kansas University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma College 3 College 4
University of Kansas University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
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Overview

 KU USAO
Location Lawrence, KS Chickasha, OK
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 26,708 825
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #252
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu usao.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 KU USAO
Tuition (In State) $10,092 $6,630
Tuition (Out of State) $26,960 $17,820
Room & Board $10,136 $7,000
Avg Net Price $18,950 $8,390
Avg Grant Aid $11,140 $12,201
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 92%

Admission

 KU USAO
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,204 1,071
Admitted 14,234 603
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 56.3%
Enrolled % 31.3% 36%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1090/1340 923/1138
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 Sep 2, 2024

Academics

 KU USAO
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (13%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 KU USAO
Graduation Rate 61% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $36,100
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 N/A
Median Loan Payment $211 N/A

Diversity

 KU USAO
% Men 45% 36%
% Women 55% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 63%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 7% 7%
% Native American 0% 15%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 6% 9%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 KU USAO
% In-State 58% 90%
% Out-of-State 39% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kansas is larger than than USAO based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 825 students)

KU vs. USAO Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or USAO?

  • University of Kansas is 52.2% more expensive to attend than USAO for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $6,630.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 51.3% higher at KU than University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma ($26,960.00 vs. $17,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma than KU ($8,390 vs. $18,950)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma are 44.8% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($7,000 vs. $10,136)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma than University of Kansas (92% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma students is 9.5% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($12,201 vs. $11,140)

KU vs. USAO Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 146 points higher than at USAO (999)
  • Incoming KU students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USAO (22)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at USAO (3.43)
  • KU has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than USAO (56.3%)

KU vs. USAO Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma (61% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $18,500 more per year than USAO graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $36,100)
  • More KU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USAO 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/