Washburn University

Frequently asked questions

About Washburn University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Washburn University located?

Washburn University is located in Topeka, KS, in the United States.

What type of institution is Washburn University?

Washburn University is a public university based in KS. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.

Is Washburn University open admission?

Yes. Washburn University reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.

What is the tuition at Washburn University?

Washburn University's published in-state tuition is approximately $9,945 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.

How many students attend Washburn University?

Washburn University reports total enrollment of approximately 6,033 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.

How much does Washburn University actually cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Washburn University is approximately $15,280 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $9,589 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $15,472. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.

What is the graduation rate at Washburn University?

Washburn University reports a graduation rate of approximately 53% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.

How much student debt do graduates of Washburn University have?

Students who borrowed at Washburn University left with a median of approximately $18,127 in federal loans, and about 31% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.

How much do graduates of Washburn University earn?

Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $49,774 for students who received federal financial aid at Washburn University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.

How should I verify final details about Washburn University?

CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Washburn University.

How much do Nursing (RN) graduates from Washburn University earn?

Washburn University's bachelor's graduates in Nursing (RN) earned a median $79,109 four years after graduating, 11% below the $88,910 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $71,210; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $22,062 in federal loans at this college (about $234 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $25,250 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level). The figure is reported for all 2 campuses that share Washburn University's federal aid ID. For context, registered nurses in Kansas are paid a median $79,320 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.

How much do Liberal Arts and General Studies graduates from Washburn University earn?

Washburn University's associate's graduates in Liberal Arts and General Studies earned a median $49,129 four years after graduating, 11% above the $44,125 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $39,468; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $16,750 in federal loans at this college (about $178 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $19,750 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level). The figure is reported for all 2 campuses that share Washburn University's federal aid ID.

Which programs at Washburn University have the highest graduate earnings?

Among the 23 programs at Washburn University with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Nursing (RN), graduate certificate ($143,374); Law, professional-degree ($83,608); and Nursing (RN), bachelor's ($79,109) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.

Does Washburn University get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?

No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Washburn University's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $59,873, above the $33,921 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Kansas, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.