Friends University
Friends University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Friends University Featured Rankings
- #2 Best Christian Colleges in Kansas 2026
- #2 Best Private Colleges in Kansas 2026
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Kansas 2026
- #4 Best Small Colleges in Kansas 2026
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #8 Best Colleges in Kansas 2026
- #48 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
About Friends University
According to Wikipedia, Friends University is a private nondenominational Christian university in Wichita, Kansas. It was founded in 1898. The main building was originally built in 1886 for Garfield University but was donated in 1898 to the Religious Society of Friends by James Davis, a St. Louis business man. In the 1930s the leadership of the school was turned over to an independent board of trustees, with some representation of the Mid-America Yearly Meeting of Friends on the board. It operates today with "an amicable but independent relationship with the evangelical branch of the Society of Friends."
Friends University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,134 | 55% | 65% | 51% | 1025 | 21 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Friends University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $35,685 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $24,582 |
| 30K - 48K | $22,138 |
| 48K - 75K | $22,418 |
| 75K - 110K | $25,834 |
| 110K+ | $30,715 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Friends University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Friends University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $54,046 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Friends University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 3,604 | 2,274 | 1,330 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Friends University?
Friends University is located at 2100 W. University Ave., Wichita, KS 67213.
How Safe is Friends University?
Relative to its enrollment, Friends University has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of 0.31%. Wichita has a violent crime rate of 1.24% and a property crime rate of 5.28%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Friends University Known For?
Friends University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Psychology
- Biology
- Criminal Justice
- Religious Studies
- Mathematics
- Social Work
- Literature
- Business
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Education
- Earth Sciences
- Philosophy
- Engineering
- Communications
- Medical
- Chemistry
Friends University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Friends University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Friends University ranks #383 in the U.S. and #949 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesFriends University ranks #441 in the U.S. and #1875 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesFriends University ranks #585 in the U.S. and #1092 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesFriends University ranks #605 in the U.S. and #2697 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesFriends University ranks #638 in the U.S. and #2629 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesFriends University ranks #861 in the U.S. and #2083 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesFriends University ranks #865 in the U.S. and #2611 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesFriends University ranks #1003 in the U.S. and #3747 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesFriends University ranks #1103 in the U.S. and #4813 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesFriends University ranks #1120 in the U.S. and #3736 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesFriends University ranks #1140 in the U.S. and #4793 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesFriends University ranks #1178 in the U.S. and #4292 worldwide for influence in Earth Sciences.
earth-science DegreesFriends University ranks #1193 in the U.S. and #3942 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesFriends University ranks #1520 in the U.S. and #7709 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesFriends University ranks #1542 in the U.S. and #5774 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesFriends University ranks #1628 in the U.S. and #5611 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesFriends University ranks #1775 in the U.S. and #6468 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesWho Are Friends University's Most Influential Alumni?
Friends University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Economics. Here are some of Friends University's most famous alumni:
- Vernon L. Smith
- An American economist.
- James F. Crow
- An American geneticist .
- George Kelly
- An American psychologist and therapist.
- Rolf Potts
- An American writer.
- Antwan Wilson
- An American teacher and school administrator.
- Rich Mullins
- An American Christian Musician.
- R. C. Buford
- An American basketball manager.
- Mitch McVicker
- An American musician.
- Bruce P. Blake
- An American bishop.
- Darrel Ray
- An American writer and atheist activist.
- André J. Thomas
- An American composer.
- Matt Lundy
- An American politician in Ohio .
