University of Kansas (KU) vs University of Central Florida (UCF)

Nestled in the heartland of America, the University of Kansas (KU) and the University of Central Florida (UCF) stand as beacons of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects. KU, a public research university, boasts a lower acceptance rate and a higher graduation rate compared to UCF, a public metropolitan research university. KU's student body is predominantly White, while UCF's is more diverse, reflecting the vibrant tapestry of Central Florida. In terms of popular majors, KU excels in fields like journalism and law, while UCF shines in engineering and business. Dive into the comparison table below to explore these differences in greater detail and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
University of Central Florida logo

University of Central Florida

University of Kansas logo

University of Kansas

Overview

Location Orlando, Florida Lawrence, Kansas
Campus setting Suburb: Large City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 92.0% 85.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 36.4% 92.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
SAT range 1170 - 1350 1090 - 1330
ACT range 25 - 30 21 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 73.0% 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 27.0% 80.0%
Total number of applicants 48,929 15,275
Total number of admissions given out 17,797 14,129
Admitted students who chose to enroll 7,090 4,119
Yield rate 39.8% 29.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,036

Out of state: $40,135
In state: $25,259

Out of state: $42,127
Average net price $11,575 $18,608
Tuition
In state: $4,478

Out of state: $19,810
In state: $10,092

Out of state: $26,960
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,670

Meal plan: $4,360
Room/dormitory: $6,100

Meal plan: $3,800
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

90.0%
Average amount $10,078
80.0%
Average amount $10,408
Students receiving federal student loan 20.0%
Average amount $5,240
40.0%
Average amount $5,220
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $14,272
6.0%
Average amount $13,036

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 59,996
Men 45.0% Women 55.0%
19,158
Men 46.8% Women 53.2%
Graduate students 10,314
Men 40.3% Women 59.7%
7,622
Men 42.7% Women 57.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 8.5% 41.5%
International students 4.5% 6.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large City: Small
Dormitory capacity 8,182 5,235
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Florida Georgia New Jersey Pennsylvania New York Kansas Missouri Illinois Texas Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 30:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 74.9% 66.0%
Dropout rate 9.8% 7.8%
Transferred out 12.0% 24.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $120,252
  • Year 3: $135,111
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,940
  • Year 2: $91,363
  • Year 3: $105,950
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,081
  • Year 2: $76,041
  • Year 3: $82,681
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,266
  • Year 2: $63,817
  • Year 3: $80,838
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,188
  • Year 2: $67,420
  • Year 3: $76,084
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,467
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $74,706
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,873
  • Year 2: $56,415
  • Year 3: $73,491
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,142
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $71,339
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,872
  • Year 2: $58,092
  • Year 3: $68,273
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,767
  • Year 2: $56,867
  • Year 3: $66,145
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,586
  • Year 2: $170,720
  • Year 3: $156,139
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,189
  • Year 2: $119,061
  • Year 3: $123,797
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,966
  • Year 2: $73,299
  • Year 3: $88,195
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,179
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $81,042
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $78,614
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,617
  • Year 2: $72,625
  • Year 3: $77,366
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,974
  • Year 2: $66,001
  • Year 3: $73,900
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,436
  • Year 2: $59,722
  • Year 3: $72,306
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,919
  • Year 2: $64,990
  • Year 3: $68,960
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,347
  • Year 2: $53,108
  • Year 3: $68,650

Compare Similar Colleges

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