Open doors, real options.
The Kansas transfer math works.
Kansas students weighing CC-first face a system where every major public university accepts over 80% of applicants and aggregate transfer intake tops 7,200 annually. The decision is less about whether you can get in and more about which destination's outcome profile matches your goals.
Kansas has 25 public 4-year universities and 25 community colleges. 7,297 transfers were admitted across top destinations, with the three major public flagships alone accounting for 3,941 admits at 82–94% overall acceptance rates.
Kansas's transfer landscape is wide-open and heavily public-university driven
Kansas has 25 four-year institutions and 25 community colleges, with 7,297 transfers admitted across the destination set. The system is dominated by public universities — Fort Hays State University leads intake with 1,424 admits, followed closely by Wichita State University (1,298) and the University of Kansas (1,219). All three accept 90–94% of applicants overall, meaning the transfer door in Kansas is genuinely accessible. The outcome picture splits by destination: University of Kansas posts $61,945 in 10-year median earnings with a 69% six-year graduation rate, while Kansas State University leads on completion at 71% with $57,262 in earnings. Median debt across Kansas four-years sits at $23,250 — modest by national standards. The community college landscape is anchored by Johnson County Community College (18,743 students, 1,021 transfers annually) in the Kansas City metro. The honest caveat: Fort Hays State University leads on volume but posts only $48,928 in 10-year earnings — access and outcomes don't always run together here.
Kansas has 25 four-year universities and 25 community colleges, and the transfer system here is defined by accessibility more than by selectivity. Fort Hays State University, Wichita State University, and the University of Kansas together admitted 3,941 transfers in the most recent IPEDS data — out of 7,297 tracked statewide — and all three accept over 90% of applicants overall. That is not a transfer market with barriers; it is one where the central question is not whether you can get in but where you should be going.
The data makes a few things concrete. Median debt across Kansas four-year destinations sits at $23,250, which is moderate. The University of Kansas leads the state on 10-year median earnings at $61,945, with a 69% six-year graduation rate. Kansas State University leads on completion at 71% with $57,262 in earnings. On the community college side, Johnson County Community College in Overland Park anchors the landscape at 18,743 students and 1,021 tracked annual transfers — the largest CC in the state and one of the larger feeder institutions in the region. The system is functional and geographically distributed. The one honest note: Fort Hays State leads the state on transfer intake at 1,424 admits but posts only $48,928 in 10-year earnings. Volume and outcomes diverge in Kansas, and that gap should shape how students pick destinations.
Kansas's CC-to-university transfer pipeline by the numbers
With 7,297 annual transfers across 25 four-year institutions, Kansas runs a well-utilized transfer system anchored by accessible public universities. Median 10-year earnings across destinations sit at $52,084 with median debt of $23,250.
- ✓ Fort Hays State University leads intake with 1,424 annual transfers at a 90% overall acceptance rate and only $21,000 median debt at graduation.
- ✓ University of Kansas posts $61,945 in 10-year median earnings — highest in the state — with a 69% six-year graduation rate and a 93% overall acceptance rate.
- ✓ Kansas State University leads the destination set on completion at 71% six-year graduation rate, combined with $57,262 in 10-year earnings.
- ✓ Johnson County Community College (18,743 students) sends 1,021 students annually to four-year universities — the highest CC transfer volume in the state.
- ✓ Pittsburg State University carries the lowest median debt in the dataset at $18,969 alongside $50,579 in 10-year earnings and a 56% graduation rate.
- ! Fort Hays State University leads on transfer intake but posts only $48,928 in 10-year earnings — the second-lowest in the destination set despite being the top volume destination.
- ! Kansas City Kansas Community College (5,014 students) sends only 38 tracked transfers annually — most students there are not on a four-year transfer track.
- ! Emporia State University posts only $47,601 in 10-year earnings — the lowest figure in the destination set — despite a 98% overall acceptance rate and 278 annual transfers admitted.
- ! Median 10-year earnings of $52,084 across Kansas four-year destinations is moderate; students targeting higher-income outcomes should prioritize University of Kansas or Kansas State.
Top transfer destinations
Fort Hays State University leads all transfer destinations with 1,424 admits at a 90% overall acceptance rate, followed by Wichita State University at 1,298 admits and the University of Kansas at 1,219 — together the three define the primary transfer pipeline in the state.
| University | Transfers admitted | Accept rate | 6-yr grad rate | 10-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Hays State University Hays | 1,424 | 90% | 47% | $48,928 | $21,000 |
| Wichita State University Wichita | 1,298 | 94% | 51% | $51,532 | $20,500 |
| University of Kansas Lawrence | 1,219 | 93% | 69% | $61,945 | $21,000 |
| Kansas State University Manhattan | 1,178 | 82% | 71% | $57,262 | $21,250 |
| Pittsburg State University Pittsburg | 428 | 89% | 56% | $50,579 | $18,969 |
| Emporia State University Emporia | 278 | 98% | 56% | $47,601 | $19,500 |
| Newman University Wichita | 154 | 74% | 53% | $55,041 | $20,801 |
| University of Saint Mary Leavenworth | 145 | 87% | 48% | $59,483 | $22,018 |
Fort Hays State University in Hays sits at the top of the transfer intake table with 1,424 admits — the clearest #1 destination in the state by volume. Wichita State University follows at 1,298 admits and University of Kansas at 1,219. Together those three public universities account for roughly 54% of all tracked transfers in Kansas. The remaining destinations — Kansas State University (1,178), Pittsburg State University (428), Emporia State University (278), Newman University (154), and University of Saint Mary (145) — fill out a spread of destinations ranging from regional public universities to smaller private nonprofits.
Selectivity across the destination set is notably open. Every university in the Kansas dataset has an overall acceptance rate above 70%, and five of the eight destinations accept 87% or more of applicants. Kansas State University, at 82%, is the most selective and is still broadly accessible. One important note: these acceptance rates come from IPEDS overall figures and reflect all applicants, not transfer applicants specifically. The actual transfer acceptance rate at any given institution may differ.
On outcomes, the picture splits clearly. University of Kansas leads on 10-year earnings at $61,945, followed by University of Saint Mary at $59,483 and Kansas State at $57,262. The earnings ceiling at Fort Hays State ($48,928) and Emporia State ($47,601) trails the state median significantly despite both being among the highest-volume destinations. Median debt across the set is tightly compressed — ranging from $18,969 at Pittsburg State to $23,250 at University of Saint Mary — which means debt is less of a differentiator than earnings and completion outcomes. Students targeting the strongest return on four years of tuition should weight University of Kansas and Kansas State over the higher-volume, lower-earnings alternatives.
Kansas community colleges at a glance
Kansas's 25 community colleges range from the large suburban Johnson County Community College in Overland Park to smaller regional campuses. The system offers geographic reach across both urban metros and rural areas of the state.
Johnson County Community College
- Undergrad18,743
- Transfers-in1,021
- 10-yr earnings$45,387
- Grad rate31%
Butler Community College
- Undergrad6,841
- Transfers-in468
- 10-yr earnings$41,206
- Grad rate32%
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
- Undergrad6,106
- Transfers-in484
- 10-yr earnings$38,679
- Grad rate43%
Hutchinson Community College
- Undergrad5,119
- Transfers-in397
- 10-yr earnings$43,470
- Grad rate53%
Barton County Community College
- Undergrad5,092
- Transfers-in373
- 10-yr earnings$40,428
- Grad rate33%
Kansas City Kansas Community College
- Undergrad5,014
- Transfers-in38
- 10-yr earnings$40,795
- Grad rate42%
6-year completion rates at top destinations
The six-year graduation rates in this grid are overall institutional rates from IPEDS for all enrolled students — not transfer-student-specific completion figures, which are not available in this dataset. They signal institutional finishing power, not transfer cohort outcomes specifically.
Kansas State University leads the completion grid at a 71% six-year graduation rate — the strongest in the destination set. University of Kansas follows at 69%. Both figures are meaningfully above the national median for public four-year universities, which sits below 65%. For students who are trying to read the institutional landscape, these two flagship universities offer the clearest signal that most students who enroll actually finish.
The spread across the full destination set is roughly 24 percentage points. Emporia State and Pittsburg State both land at 56%; Newman University sits at 53%; Fort Hays State posts 47%. Fort Hays State admitted the most transfers in the state but shows the lowest six-year completion rate in the destination set — a combination that signals meaningful completion risk at the most popular transfer destination in Kansas. These are overall institutional graduation rates from IPEDS, not transfer-student-specific completion data, which is not included in this dataset. They are directional signals, not precise predictions for what transfer students specifically will experience. But an institution where fewer than half of students finish within six years presents real finishing risk regardless of which cohort is tracked.
What a bachelor's degree is worth here
The fastest-growing occupations in the state where a bachelor's degree is the typical entry credential — the jobs waiting on the other side of a completed transfer.
| Occupation | Projected growth | Avg openings / yr |
|---|---|---|
| Logisticians | +29.6% | 270 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | +28.2% | 550 |
| Information Security Analysts | +24.2% | 120 |
| Software Developers | +23.2% | 1,030 |
| Personal Financial Advisors | +19.0% | 340 |
| Industrial Engineers | +17.0% | 240 |
| Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers | +15.4% | 100 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | +15.1% | 140 |
For most Kansas students weighing CC-first versus direct enrollment, the data supports starting at a community college — specifically for students targeting University of Kansas or Kansas State University. Both flagships take in more than 1,100 transfers annually at overall acceptance rates of 82–93%, and both post six-year graduation rates of 69–71% with median 10-year earnings above $57,000. Johnson County Community College (1,021 annual transfers) is the highest-volume feeder institution in the state; Butler Community College (468 transfers), Hutchinson Community College (397), and Barton County Community College (373) fill out the regional pipeline. A student at any of those CCs who commits to a transfer target early is in a system that demonstrably moves students to four-year programs.
The recommendation changes under two specific conditions. First, if the target destination is Fort Hays State or Emporia State — the two highest-volume destinations in the state — understand that accessibility is not the bottleneck, but outcomes may be. Fort Hays State posts $48,928 in 10-year earnings and a 47% six-year graduation rate; Emporia State posts $47,601 and a 56% graduation rate. Those numbers are the lowest in the destination set. Students who start CC-first and then settle for the most accessible destination by default rather than targeting the strongest outcome will get a degree but potentially not the economic return the degree is supposed to provide. The CC-first path in Kansas works best when it is aimed at KU or K-State, not used as a default ramp to whatever accepts the most transfers.
How we built Kansas's transfer picture
Destination universities are Kansas's 4-year institutions ranked by IPEDS transfer-in volume; we filter out community colleges that IPEDS files under the 4-year sector because they run bachelor's-pilot programs but remain open-admission. Community college spotlights are ranked by IPEDS undergraduate enrollment. 10-year median earnings and median debt at graduation come from College Scorecard; graduation rates come from IPEDS 6-year overall cohorts. Phase 1 deliberately leaves out transfer-specific completion rates (NSC), structured articulation-agreement data (ASSIST, ADT, TAG, FLVC, etc.), and state-funding context — all Phase 2.
Common questions
Is it worth starting at a Kansas community college before transferring to KU or Kansas State?
The data supports CC-first for students targeting either flagship. The University of Kansas admits 1,219 transfers at a 93% overall acceptance rate with $61,945 in 10-year median earnings and a 69% six-year graduation rate. Kansas State University follows at 1,178 admits, 82% acceptance, a 71% graduation rate, and $57,262 in earnings. Median debt at both sits around $21,000–$21,250. The financial advantage of starting at a community college depends on the tuition difference in your first two years. For students who need time to build a stronger academic record or establish residency, the CC-first path is well-supported by the data.
Which Kansas university accepts the most transfer students?
Fort Hays State University in Hays leads by volume with 1,424 transfer admits at a 90% overall acceptance rate. Wichita State University follows with 1,298 admits at 94% acceptance, and the University of Kansas comes in third at 1,219 admits. All three are broadly accessible. For students who prioritize outcomes over accessibility, University of Kansas leads on 10-year earnings at $61,945, while Kansas State leads on six-year completion at 71%. Fort Hays State carries the lowest debt at $21,000 but also the lowest earnings of the three major flagships at $48,928.
Which Kansas community college is best for students planning to transfer?
The dataset covers six spotlight colleges ranked by enrollment and transfer-out volume, not by post-transfer outcomes. Johnson County Community College in Overland Park is the largest at 18,743 students and sends 1,021 annually to four-year programs — by far the highest raw transfer volume in the state. Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson stands out among smaller campuses with a 53% institutional completion rate and $43,470 in earnings for students who stop at the CC credential. WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology in Wichita sends 484 transfers but posts $38,679 in earnings — the lowest in the spotlight group. Geographic proximity to your target four-year and the intended major are the most practical decision factors the data supports.
How do graduation rates differ across Kansas's top transfer destinations?
Kansas State University leads the completion grid at 71%, followed closely by the University of Kansas at 69%. Emporia State University and Pittsburg State University both sit at 56%, and Wichita State University comes in at 51%. Newman University and the University of Saint Mary — both private — post 53% and 48% respectively. Fort Hays State University rounds out the list at 47%. The spread between the top (71% at K-State) and bottom (47% at Fort Hays State) is 24 percentage points. These are overall institutional six-year graduation rates from IPEDS, not transfer-student-specific completion figures. Students should treat them as directional signals about institutional finishing power rather than precise predictions for transfer cohorts.
What do 10-year earnings look like at Kansas's top transfer destinations?
University of Kansas leads the destination set at $61,945 in 10-year median earnings, followed by University of Saint Mary at $59,483 and Kansas State University at $57,262. Newman University in Wichita posts $55,041 and Wichita State University sits at $51,532. On the lower end, Fort Hays State University comes in at $48,928 and Emporia State University at $47,601 — both below the state median of $52,084 despite being among the highest-volume transfer destinations. That inversion is worth noting: the most accessible and highest-volume destinations are not the ones with the strongest earnings outcomes. Students targeting higher post-graduation income should consider KU or Kansas State over Fort Hays or Emporia.
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