Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Washburn University, Northeastern Illinois University, Wichita State University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Washburn UniversityTopeka, KS | Northeastern IllinoisChicago, IL | Wichita StateWichita, KS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | Not reportedNot reported by Washburn University in the most recent federal collection. | 74.6% | 94.0% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedWashburn University did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | Not reportedNortheastern Illinois University reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. | 905–1240 |
| Average net price | $15,28033.6% on Pell grants | $14,10955.7% on Pell grants | $13,19430.6% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $9,945 in-state · $20,949 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $12,383 in-state · $22,726 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $9,684 in-state · $19,869 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.0% | 21.6% | 51.0% |
| First-year retention | 68.0% | 52.3% | 69.3% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 33.6% | 55.7% | 30.6% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $49,774 | $52,234 | $51,532 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $18,127 | $14,600 | $20,500 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 13:1 | 12:1 | 20:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,562 | 3,982 | 10,780 |
| Consensus percentile | 46Lower is better | 46Lower is better | 46Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 24 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 76 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 62 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Washburn University | Northeastern Illinois | Wichita State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #82 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #148 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #273 of 436National universitiesNational Universities · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #850 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #211 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #361 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | #324 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #397 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 |
| Niche | #837 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #396 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #455 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Washburn University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Northeastern Illinois University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Wichita State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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