Match #1
Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate90%
- 9,733 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 53%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 9,733 students, close to 10,780
The colleges most similar to Wichita State University are Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, and Washburn University. Wichita State University admits 94% of applicants and has an average net price of $10,307 a year; 1 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 2 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Wichita State University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Wichita State University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate89%
- 4,210 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 48%, close to 52%
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 94%
Match #3
Washburn University
Topeka, KS
Profile closeness71/100
Admit rate—
- 4,562 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 52%
- Average net price $11,023, close to $10,307
Match #4
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate82%
- 15,142 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Enrollment 15,142 students, close to 10,780
- Same control type (public)
Match #5
Emporia State University
Emporia, KS
Profile closeness67/100
Admit rate98%
- 2,239 students
- Public
- Town: Remote
- Graduation rate 57%, close to 52%
- Acceptance rate 98%, close to 94%
Match #6
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate93%
- 21,217 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Acceptance rate 93%, close to 94%
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Omaha, NE
Profile closeness94/100
Admit rate87%
- 11,488 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 51%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 11,488 students, close to 10,780
Match #8
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO
Profile closeness89/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,519 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 49%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 10,519 students, close to 10,780
Match #9
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs, CO
Profile closeness87/100
Admit rate97%
- 8,697 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 8,697 students, close to 10,780
Match #10
Missouri State University-Springfield
Springfield, MO
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate91%
- 13,313 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 59%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 13,313 students, close to 10,780
Questions about Wichita State University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Wichita State University?
The closest matches to Wichita State University are Fort Hays State University, Pittsburg State University, Washburn University, Kansas State University, and Emporia State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Wichita State University hard to get into?
Wichita State University admitted 94% of its 7,291 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 2 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Wichita State University alternatives cost less?
1 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Wichita State University ($10,307 a year), including University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ($10,217). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
