NC State vs K-State

North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Kansas State University, both esteemed public research universities, offer distinct educational experiences. NC State boasts a higher acceptance rate (51%) compared to K-State's (48%), making it slightly easier to gain admission. While NC State excels in engineering, computer science, and agriculture, K-State shines in animal sciences, plant sciences, and engineering. NC State's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students, while K-State has a slightly higher graduation rate (78% vs. 76%). Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Kansas State University logo

Kansas State University

North Carolina State University at Raleigh logo

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Overview

Location Manhattan, Kansas Raleigh, North Carolina
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
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 86.0% 94.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 95.6% 47.5%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $75
SAT range N/A 1270 - 1440
ACT range N/A 27 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 21.0%
Students submitting ACT score 34.0%
Total number of applicants 9,822 32,998
Total number of admissions given out 9,391 15,669
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,848 5,046
Yield rate 30.3% 32.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not 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: $23,866

Out of state: $39,937
In state: $24,986

Out of state: $45,771
Average net price $19,874 $14,328
Tuition
In state: $9,489

Out of state: $25,560
In state: $6,535

Out of state: $27,320
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,200

Meal plan: $4,900
Room/dormitory: $6,768

Meal plan: $4,833
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

88.0%
Average amount $6,774
62.0%
Average amount $9,318
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $5,095
40.0%
Average amount $5,022
Students taking out private loans 5.0%
Average amount $14,579
6.0%
Average amount $14,600

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 15,619
Men 50.3% Women 49.7%
26,505
Men 50.9% Women 49.1%
Graduate students 4,610
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
10,326
Men 49.8% Women 50.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 21.8% 12.9%
International students 5.4% 9.5%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 5,696 10,024
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Kansas Missouri Texas Nebraska Colorado North Carolina Virginia New York New Jersey Maryland

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Agriculture
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 68.4% 84.4%
Dropout rate 9.3% 5.0%
Transferred out 20.4% 9.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Food Science and Technology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,367
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $83,284
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,831
  • Year 2: $71,734
  • Year 3: $83,247
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,832
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $82,805
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,780
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $81,885
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,427
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $80,450
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,948
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $79,928
Architectural Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,390
  • Year 2: $65,557
  • Year 3: $75,955
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,670
  • Year 2: $65,131
  • Year 3: $73,437
Agricultural and Food Products Processing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,969
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $69,822
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,353
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $65,198
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,745
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $122,470
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,886
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $113,307
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,892
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $92,582
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,869
  • Year 2: $74,200
  • Year 3: $88,476
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,974
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $88,260
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,860
  • Year 2: $81,702
  • Year 3: $86,459
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,857
  • Year 2: $70,710
  • Year 3: $83,417
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,627
  • Year 2: $70,057
  • Year 3: $83,342
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,222
  • Year 2: $69,757
  • Year 3: $81,552
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,081
  • Year 2: $70,253
  • Year 3: $80,463

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