Why U.S. News & World Report ranked these colleges best in Kansas

Stacey Saldanha-Olson, Topeka Capital-Journal
Updated ·2 min read

Two Kansas colleges ranked in the Top 100 Public Schools in the national category, according to the U.S. News & World Report, which ranked 439 national universities based on class sizes, graduation rate and other factors.

Following are the top four colleges in Kansas.

U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Kansas first in the state and 151st nationally in its top colleges listing.
U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Kansas first in the state and 151st nationally in its top colleges listing.

University of Kansas

KU ranked first in the state and 151st nationally. Located in Lawrence, KU has an acceptance rate of 88% and is ranked 80th in the Top Public Schools category. About half of KU students graduate in four years. The university has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1 and 49% of its classes have 20 or fewer students in them.

Kansas State University

K-State is ranked second in the state and 170th nationally. The university is located in Manhattan and has an acceptance rate of 95%. In the Top Public Schools category, KSU ranks 91 out of 221. About 47% of students graduate in four years. The student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1 and 48% of the university's classes have 20 or fewer students.

Wichita State University

WSU ranked third in the state and 332nd nationally. Located in Wichita, the university has an acceptance rate of 68%. In the Top Public Schools category, WSU ranked 176th. About one-third of students will graduate in four years. The student-to-faculty ratio is 20:1 and 50% of the university's classes have 20 or fewer students.

Baker University

Baker University ranked fourth in the state and 345th in the nation. Located in Baldwin City, it has a 92% acceptance rate. Since it is a private school, it is not ranked in the Top Public Schools category. 39% of students graduate in four years. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1 and 76% of the university's classes have 20 or fewer students enrolled.

Other colleges in Kansas

Other Kansas colleges, such as Washburn University, Emporia State University and Fort Hays State University, weren't included in the U.S. News national list but are ranked separately in a regional category.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why U.S. News & World Report ranked these colleges tops in Kansas