Admit rate has ranged 55%–100% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a specialized health sciences university with a singular, career-focused mission: to educate the next generation of chiropractors and allied health professionals. Its identity is defined by an intimate, hands-on learning environment, a pragmatic curriculum directly tied to licensure, and a campus culture that feels more like a close-knit professional community than a sprawling undergraduate college. This is a place for students who know exactly what they want to do—and want to start doing it from day one.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
95
In-state tuition
$14,400
Out-of-state tuition
$14,400
Graduation Rate
100%
Student:Faculty Ratio
12:1
Median Earnings (10yr)
$52,304
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$52,304
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.5×
Median debt at graduation
$12,500
Graduation rate
100%
First-year retention
50%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
51%
Pell (lower-income) share
53%
Endowment / student
$38,943
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Financial health
2.2 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
78
Summer high
87°F
Winter low
26°F
Annual rain
48.1"
Annual snow
19"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Cleveland University-Kansas City?
Cleveland University-Kansas City's acceptance rate is approximately 69% (Overland Park, KS), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Cleveland University-Kansas City cost?
At Cleveland University-Kansas City, the average net price (after aid) is about $35,764 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Cleveland University-Kansas City?
Cleveland University-Kansas City enrolls approximately 95 undergraduate students.
Where is Cleveland University-Kansas City located?
Cleveland University-Kansas City is located in Overland Park, KS.
Admissions
Admissions at CUKC are moderately selective, with a focus on identifying students prepared for the rigors of a health sciences curriculum. The university operates with a policy for undergraduate admissions, placing greater emphasis on academic preparation. For its flagship Doctor of Chiropractic program, the standards are more defined, requiring applicants to have earned 90 semester hours with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. The process appears straightforward, prioritizing core academic metrics over extensive extracurricular portfolios. A notably high rate suggests that most students who are admitted choose to enroll, indicating a strong alignment between the university's offerings and the goals of its applicant pool.
Academics at CUKC are laser-focused on health professions. The university is structured around two primary academic units: the College of Chiropractic and the College of Health Sciences. The latter offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in fields like biology, radiologic technology, and occupational therapy assistance. The educational philosophy is intensely practical and student-centered, built on several pillars:
Small class sizes and a low student-to-faculty ratio, often cited as a 12:1 ratio, which fosters personalized attention and an optimal learning environment.
Faculty with real-world experience. Instructors are noted for having advanced degrees and professional experience in their fields.
A seamless pathway. The curriculum is designed to create a direct track from undergraduate health science studies into the professional Doctor of Chiropractic program.
Comprehensive academic support. The university provides dedicated resources for strengthening study skills, test-taking, and time management, aimed at building academic confidence.
This is not a liberal arts college; it's a professional training ground where the curriculum is explicitly designed to prepare students for specific healthcare career opportunities and licensure.
Life at CUKC revolves around its specialized academic mission, creating a distinct "small town feel" within a major metropolitan area. The campus is located in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb that offers extensive opportunities for professional development, networking, and entertainment. The atmosphere is described as welcoming and community-oriented, with a notable level of accessibility—reviews even mention the CEO walking around to greet students and staff. While the university is primarily a commuter and professional school campus (with no data suggesting traditional residential Greek life or NCAA sports), it fosters community through its facilities and intimate scale. Student life is less about sprawling quad traditions and more about building a professional network and focusing on shared, career-specific goals within a supportive environment.
Outcome data for CUKC presents a mixed but career-focused picture. The university's own internal graduation rate data for specific cohorts shows variability. However, the most significant outcome metric is earnings potential. Graduates report strong median earnings a decade after entry, a figure that speaks directly to the value of its career-oriented degrees in the healthcare field. This earnings outcome is the clearest indicator of the institution's success in its core mission: preparing students for financially sustainable careers as chiropractors and allied health professionals.
CUKC is a private institution with costs that reflect its specialized professional training. The university emphasizes providing financial aid resources to help students manage these costs. It offers a calculator for families to estimate their actual cost after grants and scholarships. Notably, the university provides admissions scholarships for undergraduates that can range from $5,000 to $25,000, which are awarded based on academic merit (requiring a minimum 3.30 GPA). Financial aid is presented as available to all students, regardless of income level, and includes federal loan options like Direct Unsubsidized Loans. The financial aid process is supported by a dedicated team that helps students evaluate costs and navigate funding options, including scholarships and federal aid.
Cleveland University-Kansas City stands out for its unapologetic specialization. It doesn't try to be everything to everyone; it is a purpose-built institution for aspiring chiropractors and health science professionals. This focus creates a unique environment where every resource, from faculty expertise to curriculum design, is aligned with a clear professional endpoint. The culture is one of immediate immersion in a health sciences community, characterized by accessible leadership, small classes where professors know students by name, and a pragmatic approach that values real-world experience alongside academic theory. For a student certain of a career in chiropractic or allied health, CUKC offers a rare, streamlined path—a direct pipeline from undergraduate study to professional doctorate within a single, supportive ecosystem. It’s the antithesis of the exploratory liberal arts experience, and that is precisely its strength.
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