Pittsburg State University Scholarships (2026–2027)
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Last Updated on November 1, 2026- Tuition, housing, and average family net price
- Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
- Flagship and hidden-gem awards
- Honors and stacking strategy
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~87%
- Middle 50% ACT: 17-24
- Middle 50% SAT: N/A
- Average GPA: 3.48
Here’s the thing most out-of-state families don’t know about Pitt State: if you live in one of 33 states outside Kansas, your student pays the same tuition as a kid from Pittsburg, Kansas. That’s $4,442 a semester instead of $10,114, or roughly $11,300 a year back in your pocket, before a single scholarship. It’s called the Gorilla Advantage, it’s open to every major, and it doesn’t depend on grades.
The states that don’t qualify: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. If you’re in one of those and a parent or grandparent went to PSU, keep reading, because there’s a backup plan.
Comparing multiple schools? Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →
📌 Pittsburg State University at a Glance
- The Gorilla Advantage has fine print. PSU’s rules say the student must be a U.S. citizen, live in (for 12 months) or graduate high school in an eligible state, and start at Pitt State within one semester of high school graduation. A full gap year could cost you the in-state rate, so ask admissions before you plan one.
- Two different GPAs. The Great Gorilla Scholarship uses the highest GPA on the transcript, weighted included. The Honors College wants a 3.85 unweighted. Same kid, two different numbers.
- The ACT can beat the GPA. PSU pays whichever level is higher. A student at a 3.75 GPA with a 28 ACT gets $4,000 a year, not $2,000. PSU’s grid lists ACT only, so an SAT-only student should expect to be awarded on GPA.
- Honors has its own deadline and still wants a test score. PSU’s application page says January 29, a couple of other PSU pages say January 15. Aim for the 15th. Even if your student qualifies on GPA, the application asks for an ACT score report.
- Don’t stop at the admission application. Departmental and donor money runs through PSU’s general scholarship application, with a February 1 priority date (one PSU page says November 1 for freshmen). File it early, and re-file every year.
- Great Gorilla money only pays tuition and fees. It can’t touch housing, which is about $10,600 a year. Plan for that bill separately.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Pittsburg State University is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Pittsburg State University? No test needed for Great Gorilla (PSU pays whichever is higher, GPA or ACT), but the Honors College application asks for an ACT or SAT score even when the student qualifies on GPA.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 17-24; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $15,111/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity? Yes. It participates in Gorilla Advantage (in-state tuition, 33 states).
PSU Great Gorilla Scholarships: https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/great-gorilla-scholarships.html
PSU Honors College: https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/index.html
PSU news, Franklin Tech partnership (April 2025): https://www.pittstate.edu/gorillaconnection/2025/04/new-partnership-with-franklin-tech-will-provide-10-full-ride-scholarships-annually-in-technical-programs.html
PSU Scholarships and Financial Assistance: https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/scholarships-financial-assistance.html
PSU Tuition and Costs, Legacy Program: https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/tuition-and-costs.html
PSU Music, Pride of the Plains Marching Band: https://www.pittstate.edu/music/student-performance-opportunities.html
PSU Music Scholarship Auditions: https://pittstate.edu/music/music-scholarship-auditions.html
CollegeScorecard / Admissions: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
💰 Cost of Attendance at Pittsburg State University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in November 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Pittsburg State University has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $400 to $1,000 more than the in-state total below. $600 to $1,500 more than the out-of-state total below.
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $8,884 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $10,634 |
| Total billed cost | $19,518 |
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $20,228 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $10,634 |
| Total billed cost | $30,862 |
That is $11,344 more per year than Kansas residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $15,111 per year. This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Gorilla Advantage: Students from 33 states outside Kansas pay the Kansas resident rate: $4,442 a semester instead of $10,114 for 2026-27, a savings of about $11,300 a year. The states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. It is open to every major and is not tied to grades. PSU's published rules: the student is a U.S. citizen, has lived in (for 12 months) or graduated high school in one of those states, and starts at Pitt State within one semester of high school graduation. Some older PSU pages still list 31 or 32 states; the 2026-27 tuition page is the current list.
Legacy Tuition Program: Students from the 16 states not covered (Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming) can still cut the bill if a parent or grandparent earned a PSU degree. Legacy students pay 150% of resident tuition, $6,124 a semester instead of $10,114. It requires full-time enrollment and regular admission, and renewal after year one needs a 2.5 GPA.
PSU is listed in the Midwest Student Exchange Program, but every MSEP state is already a Gorilla Advantage state, so MSEP does not lower the price further.
Flat-rate tuition works in your favor. Your student pays the same tuition whether they take 12 credit hours or 18, so a double major or an early graduation doesn’t cost extra.
Some majors carry a course fee. Classes in the Crossland College of Technology add $30 per credit hour (capped at $350 a semester), and Kelce College of Business classes add $20 per credit hour (capped at $300 a semester). If your student is headed into automotive, plastics, construction or business, budget up to $600 to $700 a year on top of the chart.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Pittsburg State
Do out-of-state students really pay in-state tuition at Pitt State?
Most do. Through the Gorilla Advantage, students from 33 states outside Kansas pay the resident rate of $4,442 a semester for 2026-27. That covers most of the South, the Midwest, Texas, California, New York and Pennsylvania. It isn’t a scholarship you apply for. It’s how PSU prices tuition for those states.
Which states don’t get the Gorilla Advantage?
Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming. You may find older PSU pages listing 31 or 32 states. The 2026-27 tuition page is the current one, and it added New York and Pennsylvania.
We live in one of those 16 states. Are we stuck paying $20,228?
Not if a parent or grandparent earned a PSU degree. The Legacy Tuition Program charges 150% of the resident rate, $6,124 a semester instead of $10,114, which saves about $8,000 a year. Without a legacy connection, yes, you’d pay the full non-resident rate, and Great Gorilla money (up to $4,000 a year) is the main way to shrink it.
Is the average net price really about $15,111?
That’s the most recent federal figure (2023-24) for in-state freshmen who got grant or scholarship aid. By family income it ran from about $11,500 for families earning $30,000 to $48,000 up to about $20,200 for families above $110,000. Use PSU’s net price calculator for your own number.
Do freshmen have to live on campus?
Yes, for their first two semesters, unless they live within 50 miles of campus. PSU estimates residence hall living at $5,317 a semester, about $10,600 a year, and that’s the piece scholarships usually don’t touch.
Does Pitt State take the Midwest Student Exchange (MSEP)?
PSU is listed as an MSEP school, but every MSEP state already gets the Gorilla Advantage, which is a better deal. So MSEP won’t lower your bill any further.
Does tuition go up every year?
The Kansas Board of Regents sets rates each summer, so expect small increases. PSU’s Great Gorilla award is a fixed dollar amount, so it doesn’t grow with tuition.
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/tuition-and-costs.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/index.html
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=155681
https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/information-for-incoming-freshmen.html
📅 Pitt State Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
- October 1: PSU’s scholarship application opens and the FAFSA opens. PSU’s pages list three different FAFSA priority dates (October 1, February 1 and March 1), so just file in October and stop worrying about which one is right.
- January 15 to January 29: Honors College applications are due (aim for the 15th).
- February 1: Priority date for PSU’s general and departmental scholarships.
- After April 1: Scholarship award letters go out.
- Great Gorilla: no deadline at all. It’s awarded as soon as the admission file is complete.
Parent rule of thumb: get the admission application, official transcript and ACT scores to PSU in the fall of senior year. Everything else hangs off that file.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Pittsburg State
Note: Each student gets one Great Gorilla level, the highest one their GPA or ACT reaches. The level is set when they’re admitted and doesn’t go up later, even if their college grades are great. It pays tuition and fees only, split between fall and spring.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Pittsburg State)
Do we have to apply for the Great Gorilla Scholarship?
No. Once your student is admitted and PSU has the official high school transcript, the award shows up on its own. Send official ACT scores too if they could bump the level, because PSU doesn’t use self-reported numbers.
How does “GPA or ACT, whichever is higher” actually work?
PSU checks both numbers against the same five-level grid and gives you the better result. A 3.75 GPA alone is Level 3 ($2,000), but if that same student has a 28 ACT, they land at Level 1 ($4,000). That’s why one more ACT sitting can be the best-paying Saturday of senior year.
Does PSU use weighted or unweighted GPA?
For Great Gorilla, PSU uses the highest GPA on the transcript, so a weighted GPA counts. (The Honors College is different and wants a 3.85 unweighted.)
What if my student only took the SAT?
PSU’s grid lists ACT scores only, so plan on the award being based on GPA. If the GPA lands your student near a cutoff, it’s worth asking admissions how they handle SAT scores, or sitting for the ACT once.
How do we keep it all four years?
Keep a 2.0 GPA and enroll in consecutive fall and spring semesters. It covers up to eight semesters (no summer money).
Does the Great Gorilla Scholarship help with housing?
No, it only applies to tuition and fees. PSU’s aid office can put other unrestricted scholarships toward housing.
What do transfer students get?
A flat $1,000 a year for students with a 3.0 college GPA and more than 24 credit hours earned after high school, for four semesters. Students with fewer than 24 hours are treated as freshmen and get the bigger freshman grid.
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/great-gorilla-scholarships.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/scholarships-financial-assistance.html
https://pittstate.edu/admission/undergraduate-admission-requirements.html
🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)
That’s not a knock on PSU. Its whole pricing strategy is built around giving everyone a lower price up front, through the Gorilla Advantage and the automatic Great Gorilla Scholarship, rather than handing a few students a big prize. For most families, the money that matters here is already in Section 3.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Pitt State?
| Aid Type | Stacks with Great Gorilla? | Parent Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Gorilla Advantage / Legacy Tuition | Yes | These lower the tuition rate itself. Great Gorilla money is then applied on top of the lower bill. |
| Honors College Scholar Award | Yes, confirm how | $6,000 Honors plus up to $4,000 Great Gorilla can top in-state tuition and fees ($8,884). Ask the aid office where the extra lands before you count on all of it. |
| Departmental / donor awards | Yes | These come through the general scholarship application and are the money that can help with housing. |
| Band and music awards | Yes | PSU’s music department says Great Gorilla is applied on top of music and band money. |
| Athletic scholarships | Usually | PSU is NCAA Division II. Talk to the coach and the aid office about how the package is built. |
| Pell, Kansas Comprehensive Grant | Yes | Need-based grants fill the gap after merit. PSU caps the Kansas Comprehensive Grant at $2,000 a year for Kansas residents. |
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Pitt State offer a full ride?
Not one that’s open to everyone. The Crossland College of Technology Enterprise Program pays full tuition and fees for up to 10 students a year, but only students at Franklin Technology Center in Joplin are eligible. PSU’s announcement calls them full rides, but the terms describe tuition and fees.
What’s the biggest scholarship most students can compete for?
The Honors College Scholar Award: $6,000 a year for four years ($24,000) plus up to $2,000 for study abroad. PSU picks 30 freshmen a year.
Are there athletic scholarships?
Yes. The Gorillas compete in NCAA Division II. In PSU’s latest Common Data Set, 74 first-year students received athletic aid, averaging about $3,600 each. Reach out to coaches directly.
Are there scholarships for technology or business majors?
Yes, through PSU’s departmental awards. Most of them run through the general scholarship application (February 1 priority date), and some departments have their own form, so contact your student’s intended department.
What should my student prepare?
For Honors, an activity list and a personal narrative carry more weight than test scores. Our Brag Sheet Builder and Essay Toolkit help get both organized.
https://www.pittstate.edu/gorillaconnection/2025/04/new-partnership-with-franklin-tech-will-provide-10-full-ride-scholarships-annually-in-technical-programs.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/scholarships-financial-assistance.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/oie/_files/documents/cds-final-2024-2025-for-psu-website.pdf
Honors College at Pittsburg State
Pitt State’s Honors College is small on purpose. It takes just 30 freshmen a year, and every one of them gets the scholarship. Students apply separately from regular admission, and the process includes references, a personal narrative and an interview.
- To apply: ACT superscore of 28+ or a 3.85 unweighted GPA, plus regular PSU admission
- Award: $6,000 a year for four years, plus up to $2,000 for one study abroad trip
- Deadline: January 29 on PSU’s application page (January 15 on a couple of others, so aim for the 15th)
- Interview: about four weeks after the deadline, on campus or by Zoom
Honors College Scholarships
You may still see “Presidential Award $9,500” or “University Award $4,500” on outside websites and older PSU pages. Those tiers are gone. The current Honors award is a flat $6,000 a year.
- Priority enrollment every semester, usually a day ahead of everyone else.
- Honors housing cluster in the residence halls, with peer mentors.
- Small, discussion-based classes capped at 25, mostly projects and presentations instead of exams.
- Study abroad: about 80% of Honors students go, using that $2,000 stipend.
Honors College FAQs (Pittsburg State)
Is Honors admission automatic for high-stat students?
No. The 28 ACT or 3.85 GPA only lets your student apply. From there it’s a competitive process with references, a personal narrative and a required interview.
Weighted or unweighted GPA?
Unweighted, 3.85 or higher. That’s different from the Great Gorilla Scholarship, which uses the weighted GPA.
Does my student need a test score if they qualify on GPA?
Yes. The application asks for an ACT (or SAT) score report even for students who qualify by GPA. And the ACT cutoff is a superscore, so PSU combines the best section scores from different test dates.
Can out-of-state students apply?
Yes. Honors students come from in state, out of state and abroad, and an out-of-state Honors student from a Gorilla Advantage state is paying in-state tuition on top of the scholarship.
What does it take to stay in?
A 3.2 cumulative GPA as a freshman, 3.4 as a sophomore and 3.5 as a junior or senior, plus 21 honors credit hours to graduate as a member.
Can the Honors award and the Great Gorilla Scholarship stack?
PSU says it combines awards in the way that best benefits the student. Since $6,000 plus up to $4,000 can exceed in-state tuition and fees, ask the aid office how the extra is applied before you build it into the budget.
https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/index.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/apply.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/information-for-incoming-freshmen.html
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/scholarships-financial-assistance.html
⭐ College Specialty
Pitt State is a regional public university in the southeast corner of Kansas, about half an hour from Joplin, Missouri. It started as a teachers’ college in 1903, and it still has that roll-up-your-sleeves feel. If your student wants a degree that leads straight to a job, especially one where they work with their hands and their head, this school punches well above its size. And yes, it’s the only university in the country whose mascot is a gorilla.
Crossland College of Technology. This is the reason a lot of students drive in from several states away. It covers automotive technology, plastics engineering technology, construction management and construction engineering, electronics, manufacturing and mechanical engineering technology, and graphic communications. The labs are full of industry-donated equipment, and the plastics program is accredited by ABET and has been running for more than 50 years.
- Automotive Technology: draws students from across the country and overseas, with tracks that lead into dealer, corporate and heavy-equipment careers.
- Kelce College of Business: business, accounting, finance and marketing are among PSU’s biggest majors.
- Nursing: a CCNE-accredited bachelor’s program, plus graduate and doctoral nursing.
- Education: the school’s oldest strength, still one of its largest areas, including elementary education and technical teacher education.
- Polymer Chemistry: a science program that pairs naturally with the plastics side of campus.
Outside class, Pitt State is a big NCAA Division II sports school with a 150-plus member marching band, and the town of Pittsburg treats the Gorillas like its own.
🔗 Official Pittsburg State University Links
Use Pitt State’s own pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules and costs before you make a decision. If something here ever disagrees with PSU, go with PSU.
-
Undergraduate Admission:
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/index.html -
Apply for Admission:
https://www.pittstate.edu/apply.html -
Scholarships & Financial Assistance:
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/scholarships-financial-assistance.html -
Great Gorilla Scholarships:
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/great-gorilla-scholarships.html -
Tuition, Costs & Gorilla Advantage States:
https://www.pittstate.edu/admission/tuition-and-costs.html -
Honors College:
https://www.pittstate.edu/academics/honors-college/index.html -
Student Financial Assistance (FAFSA code 001926):
https://www.pittstate.edu/financial-aid/index.html -
Net Price Calculator:
https://www.pittstate.edu/financial-aid/npc/index.html -
Music Scholarship Auditions:
https://pittstate.edu/music/music-scholarship-auditions.html -
Common Data Set (Institutional Research):
https://www.pittstate.edu/oie/institutional-research.html
✅ Wrapping It Up
Here’s Pitt State in one breath: it’s one of the few public universities that hands out-of-state families the in-state price without making them jump through hoops. If you live in one of those 33 states, your student pays Kansas tuition, then the Great Gorilla Scholarship knocks off another $1,000 to $4,000 a year based on whichever is better, their GPA or their ACT. Add in flat-rate tuition and you’ve got a four-year degree that can cost less than staying home at a lot of flagships.
It works best for the kid who knows what they want to do with their hands and their head: automotive, plastics, construction, nursing, teaching, business. For the top students, the 30-seat Honors College adds $24,000 more and a study abroad trip. The homework for parents is simple. Get the transcript and ACT scores in early, fill out the general scholarship application by February 1, and if Honors is in play, have that application in by January 15.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it. After the series, about once a month, sometimes twice during application season. No drip funnels, no affiliate pitches, and we never sell your information. Unsubscribe anytime.Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Leo Dimilo
Leo founded CollegeReadyParent after working through college costs with his own daughter. Every guide on this site is checked against the college’s own pages, and when the school’s pages disagree with each other, we tell you.