Regional university
#5 Best colleges for criminal justice in KansasPittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,784 a year
Median debt at graduation: $18,969 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In Kansas
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Kansas#5 of 21
- Best colleges for education in Kansas#6 of 25
- Best test-optional colleges in Kansas#6 of 24
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Kansas#7 of 27
- Best colleges for psychology in Kansas#6 of 23
- Best colleges for business in Kansas#7 of 26
Show 9 more
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- Best colleges for chemistry in Kansas#6 of 21
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Kansas#6 of 21
- Best colleges for English in Kansas#6 of 21
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- Best colleges for music in Kansas#6 of 21
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.57%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,050 · ACT 20.5
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,572
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $22,099 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 4,426 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 32% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 35% |
| Total students | 5,722 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,784 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $22,099 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $18,969 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 57% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 45% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 44% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 60% |
| First-year retention | 77% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $50,579 |
| Admission rate | 89% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | No application fee |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 30% |
| Average SAT | 1050 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | — |
| SAT math | — |
| ACT composite | 17–24 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Very good · Top 30% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Other engineering/engineering-related technologies/technicians | |
| Construction Management | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Finance | |
| Mechanical engineering technology | |
| Computer Systems Analysis | |
| Nursing | |
| Accounting | |
| Business (general) | |
| Marketing | |
| Biology | |
| Social work | |
| Psychology | |
| English | |
| Secondary education | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Communication studies | |
| Teacher education | |
| Graphic communications | |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Computer science, Construction Engineering Technology/Technician, Criminal justice, Design, Economics, Electrical engineering technology, Engineering-Related Fields, Fine arts, Geography, History, Interdisciplinary studies, International business, Kinesiology and exercise science, Linguistics, Mathematics, Music, Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies, Physics, Political science, Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians, Romance languages, Sociology.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering technologies | |
| Health professions | |
| Education | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| Setting | Town |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 8% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 9% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $10,234 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 66%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $21,826Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 26% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Joplin Regional Airport (JLN)About 20 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 20,6372020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | TulsaAbout 110 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 33°F1991–2020 normal, from PITTSBURG, KS US, about 0 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 80°F1991–2020 normal, from PITTSBURG, KS US, about 0 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.70 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.52 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.17 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Pittsburg State University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Pittsburg State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,784 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Pittsburg State University?
- Pittsburg State University admitted 89% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Pittsburg State University’s graduates do?
- 57% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $50,579; the median federal debt at graduation is $18,969.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 155681
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (larger programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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