Students at Ottawa University-Ottawa who complete their degrees earn significantly more than similar students at other institutions, reflecting meaningful earnings beyond expectations.
This financial advantage helps graduates manage debt successfully and achieve solid long-term career outcomes.
Ottawa University-Ottawa is a small private nonprofit institution in Kansas that delivers notably strong earnings outcomes despite facing challenges in other key areas. While the university ranks in the bottom tier nationally for overall composite performance, it stands out for producing graduates who earn significantly more than expected—about $8,219 above what similar students achieve at comparable institutions. This earnings advantage places Ottawa University in the middle tier nationally for long-term financial returns.
The university serves a moderately diverse student body, with about 35% receiving Pell Grants and 40% being first-generation college students. However, graduation rates remain concerning, with only 29% of students completing their degrees within six years. As an "Opportunity Builders" institution, Ottawa University provides access to students from various backgrounds but struggles to convert that access into consistent degree completion.
For families considering Ottawa University-Ottawa, the key trade-off is clear: graduates who do complete their degrees see strong earnings outcomes and meaningful financial advantages, but the path to graduation presents significant challenges that prospective students must carefully evaluate against their academic preparedness and support needs.
Ottawa University-Ottawa's program portfolio is notably concentrated, with Exercise Science and Kinesiology serving as the flagship program that graduates 30 students annually with early-career earnings of $32,391. This concentration reflects the university's focused approach to academic programming, emphasizing depth over breadth in its offerings.
While the Exercise Science program shows moderate early-career earnings, the institution's overall strong performance in earnings beyond expectations suggests that graduates across programs benefit from effective career preparation and employer relationships. The university's small size allows for personalized attention and close faculty-student relationships that appear to translate into career advantages that extend well beyond graduation.
The limited program diversity at Ottawa University means prospective students should carefully evaluate whether the available academic offerings align with their career interests and goals. However, for students whose interests match the university's program strengths, the combination of small class sizes, personalized attention, and strong alumni networks appears to create meaningful career advantages that justify the focused academic approach.
Graduates of Ottawa University-Ottawa achieve solid long-term earnings that significantly exceed expectations. Ten years after enrollment, graduates earn a median of $55,552, which represents strong value given the institution's profile. More importantly, these graduates earn about $8,219 more than similar students at comparable institutions nationwide, demonstrating meaningful earnings beyond expectations that place the university in the middle tier nationally for return on investment.
The university's program portfolio centers heavily on Exercise Science and Kinesiology, which represents the largest and highest aggregate-return program with 30 graduates earning a median of $32,391 early in their careers. While this field shows more moderate early-career earnings, the overall institutional outcomes suggest that graduates across programs benefit from strong employer relationships and career preparation that translate into above-expected long-term financial performance.
What makes Ottawa University particularly noteworthy is how consistently its graduates outperform earnings expectations despite the institution's small size and regional focus. This suggests effective career services, strong alumni networks, or program quality that helps students achieve financial success beyond what their academic credentials might typically predict in the broader market.
Affordability represents a significant challenge at Ottawa University-Ottawa, with net prices that rank among the highest nationally across all income levels. Low-income students face annual costs of about $21,092, middle-income families pay around $28,099, and high-income families see costs reach $30,254—all substantially above typical public university levels and higher than many private institutions of similar size and selectivity.
Despite these high sticker prices, the debt picture shows some moderation. Typical graduates leave with about $21,500 in federal student loan debt, a manageable level given the strong long-term earnings outcomes. Parent PLUS borrowing averages $20,463, reflecting the reality that many families need to supplement student aid with additional borrowing to cover the high net prices. The university maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, suggesting that graduates who complete their degrees generally manage their debt obligations successfully.
The affordability challenge at Ottawa University is compounded by relatively low graduation rates, meaning families face high upfront costs with significant completion risk. For students who do graduate, the strong earnings beyond expectations help justify the investment, but families must carefully weigh the financial commitment against the institutional completion track record.
Ottawa University-Ottawa Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
