HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

University of Kansas vs Kansas State University

Kansas State University clears +$1.97M in 30-year net value, University of Kansas +$1.83M — both pay off, Kansas State University by +$137K.

Two KS public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

University of Kansas · Lawrence, KS

30-year net value
+$1.83M
Total cost of attendance
$90,072
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$58,102
Breaks even by age
38

Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS

clears more

30-year net value
+$1.97M
Total cost of attendance
$91,848
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$59,717
Breaks even by age
36
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “University of Kansas vs Kansas State University: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/kansas-vs-kansas-state

Keep comparing

Questions

Is University of Kansas or Kansas State University a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, Kansas State University clears +$1.97M and University of Kansas +$1.83M — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; Kansas State University comes out ahead by +$137K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does Kansas State University pay off than University of Kansas?
About +$137K over a 30-year horizon (+$1.97M vs +$1.83M in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from University of Kansas?
+$1.83M at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $90,072, median earnings ten years out $58,102, breaking even around age 38. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.