Head-to-head comparison
Friends University vs Kansas Wesleyan University: which has better ROI?
Option A Wichita, KS
Friends University
- Net price / year
- $27,715
- Earnings, 10 years
- $52,113
- Payback
- 29.5 yrs
Option B Salina, KS
Kansas Wesleyan University
- Net price / year
- $22,671
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,152
- Payback
- 32.5 yrs
Friends University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $110,860 in 29.5 years versus 32.5 years at Kansas Wesleyan University, on median earnings of $52,113 vs $51,152 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Friends University | Kansas Wesleyan University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $27,715 | $22,671 |
| Total net cost | $110,860 | $90,684 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $52,113 | $51,152 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $23,250 |
| Payback | 29.5 yrs | 32.5 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$35,800 | -$34,844 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Friends University or Kansas Wesleyan University?
Kansas Wesleyan University, at $22,671 a year after aid versus $27,715 — a gap of $5,044 a year, or $20,176 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Friends University or Kansas Wesleyan University graduates earn more?
Friends University graduates report a median $52,113 ten years after entry, $961 more than the $51,152 at Kansas Wesleyan University. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Friends University or Kansas Wesleyan University?
Kansas Wesleyan University: its completers carry a median $23,250 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Friends University, a difference of $1,750. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
49% of students finish at Kansas Wesleyan University, against 43% at Friends University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.