University of Kansas - School of Engineering

What University of Kansas - School of Engineering does

The University of Kansas School of Engineering is a public research institution and the only AAU (Association of American Universities) member in Kansas, founded in 1891 and headquartered in Lawrence, Kansas. It operates eight academic departments (Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Professional Education) and is organized under the Kansas Board of Regents. The school serves prospective undergraduate and graduate students, with primary segments being undergraduate degree seekers, graduate researchers, K-12 outreach participants, and industrial/government research partners.

The school delivers undergraduate and graduate engineering education while conducting federally-funded research across climate (CReSIS ice-penetrating radar), healthcare AI (NSF CAREER award to Zijun Yao for medical AI reliability), supply chain security (Sumaiya Shomaji's AuthenTrack system combining AI anomaly detection with blockchain), infrastructure resilience ($24M statewide NSF investment), and infectious disease ($11.35M NIH COBRE center). Notable technical facilities include the Earth, Energy & Environment Center, CReSIS radar labs, and the Wall of Wind research facility. Recognized research capabilities include the SELF (Self Engineering Leadership Fellows) Program and a 40-year tradition of dominance in AIAA aerospace design competitions.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and state appropriations from the Kansas Board of Regents, federal research grants (NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, FAA, NASA, National Cooperative Highway Research Program), and philanthropic funding through KU Endowment (including a $16M Slawson family lead gift, $20M in annual scholarships, and significant alumni donations). The school markets through a multi-channel approach including its website, social media, news/earned media, campus events, career fairs with 160+ employers, and pre-college programs. Outcomes include a 98% career outcome rate, projected 550+ undergraduate and 175+ graduate degrees awarded annually, and 2,500+ attendees at the 2026 Engineering Expo.

Name

University of Kansas - School of Engineering

Legal name

The University of Kansas School of Engineering

Website

https://engr.ku.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The University of Kansas School of Engineering is the only AAU research institution in Kansas, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees across eight engineering departments and conducting federally-funded research in healthcare AI, supply chain security, climate, and infrastructure for a diversified student body and industry/government partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Engineering

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA), Engineering Design & Project-Based Learning Programs (EDAMADAB), Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Engineering education
• Undergraduate engineering degrees
• Graduate engineering research
• Aerospace engineering programs
• Engineering research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and State Funding: As a public institution governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, the School of Engineering receives funding through tuition from students and state appropriations from the Kansas Board of Regents.
2. Research Grants: Federal research funding from agencies including NSF, NIH, DOE, DOD, FAA, NASA, and National Cooperative Highway Research Program. Major grants include $24M statewide infrastructure investment, $6.6M NIH funding for lab-on-a-chip technology, $11.35M NIH COBRE award, and $1.25M grant for sex hormones research.
3. Scholarships and Financial Support: School offers $20 million in scholarships annually. Funded through KU Endowment, alumni donations, and specific scholarship programs including the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program.
4. Endowment and Private Gifts: Major gifts managed by KU Endowment including $16 million lead gift from Slawson family for Slawson Hall, $1 million gift from Dean Frisbie estate split between Engineering and Law schools, and $600,000 gift honoring Don Green from alumnus Zack Holland.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Kansas School of Engineering is a public research engineering school that delivers undergraduate and graduate engineering degree programs across eight departments (Aerospace, Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum, Civil/Environmental/Architectural, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Engineering Physics, and Mechanical Engineering), along with the SELF leadership fellows program and continuing professional education. It also conducts federally funded research and partners with industry on projects spanning healthcare AI, supply-chain authentication, ice-sheet remote sensing, wind engineering, and sustainable materials.

Product overview

The University of Kansas School of Engineering is a public research institution organized into eight academic departments (Aerospace Engineering, Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum Engineering, Civil Environmental & Architectural Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Professional Education). The school offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, with notable research initiatives in AI for healthcare, supply chain security, wind safety, and sustainable energy. The institution also runs the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program (SELF) as a distinctive fellowship offering industry exposure and leadership training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Engineering Degree Programs Accredited bachelor's degree programs in eight engineering disciplines (Aerospace, Bioengineering, Chemical & Petroleum, Civil/Environmental/Architectural, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering Physics), offered to prospective undergraduate students with support from Impact and Belonging Scholarships and undergraduate research opportunities.
• Graduate Engineering Degree Programs (MS and PhD) Master's and doctoral degree programs in the eight engineering departments, with graduate research opportunities, research assistantships funded by federal grants, and graduate financial support. Applications are submitted via gradapply.ku.edu.
• Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program (SELF) Distinctive fellowship program for engineering students that combines leadership development with corporate site visits and networking opportunities at leading engineering and technology firms, supported by endowments.
• KU Engineering Pre-College Summer Camps Pre-college engineering summer camps for high school students in grades 9-12 covering aerospace engineering, AI, and computer science, designed to provide early exposure to engineering disciplines and careers.
• Professional Education and Continuing Engineering Programs Professional development and continuing education offerings delivered through the Professional Education department to practicing engineers and industry professionals seeking to update skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% career outcome rate for graduates
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Kansas State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with KSU to prepare the next generation through a series of summer camps offering high school students short preparatory courses in aerospace engineering, artificial intelligence, and computer science, funded by federal grants.
• NSF COBRE CenterflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021KU leads a COBRE center that received $11.35M NIH COBRE award to continue fight against infectious diseases. Works on both emerging contagions and antibiotic effectiveness for human and animal health.
• IES AbroadminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2021$15,000 start-up grant from IES Abroad to support expansion of education abroad opportunities in the School of Engineering, including the India Impact winter break program.
• RAPID Manufacturing Institute (AIChE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017$1 million, 18-month collaboration with the RAPID Manufacturing Institute for Process Intensification to develop technology for separating gas using renewable, high-performance furanic-based polymers originally developed for soda bottles.
• SELF Program Corporate PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program includes corporate visits to companies like Kenworth Trucking, Blue Origin, Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, Uber, Google, The Spaceship Company, Virgin Galactic, NASA JPL, and Avery Dennison for industry exposure.
• Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) Partner InstitutionsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005CReSIS is based at KU and composed of six partner institutions: Elizabeth City State University, Indiana University, University of Washington, Pennsylvania State University, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Association of Computer and Information Science Engineering Departments at Minority Institutions. The center has been a key participant in NASA's Operation Ice Bridge.
• Black & VeatchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKatie Schultz, Vice President of Engineering Resources at Black & Veatch, delivers the annual J.A. Tiberti Family Lecture on leadership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Georgia Institute of Technology - College of Engineering: Premier public engineering school with major research programs in aerospace, mechanical, biomedical, and industrial engineering. Competes for the same federal grants and top graduate-student applicants.
• Purdue University - College of Engineering: Larger, more established engineering school with stronger brand in aerospace, mechanical, and civil engineering and significantly bigger research budget. Sets the benchmark KU competes against for top national applicants and federal funding.
• University of Texas at Austin - Cockrell School of Engineering: Top-ten public engineering school with broad programs across all of KU's disciplines and substantially larger research enterprise. Sets the competitive ceiling for aspirational peer benchmarking.
• University of Colorado Boulder - College of Engineering and Applied Science: Public AAU-member engineering peer with strong aerospace, civil, and environmental programs and significant federal research funding. Comparable research-tier positioning within a similar state-university governance structure.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - The Grainger College of Engineering: Top-five US engineering school with comprehensive programs and research scale several multiples of KU. Represents the aspirational peer for faculty recruitment and federal grant competitiveness.

Regional players

• Wichita State University - College of Engineering: Another Kansas-based engineering school with strong aerospace and mechanical engineering ties to the Wichita aviation industry. Competes regionally but lacks KU's AAU research standing.

Direct peers

• Missouri University of Science and Technology: Public STEM-focused technical university in a neighboring state with strong programs in civil, mechanical, aerospace, and petroleum engineering - directly comparable in scale and mission to KU Engineering.
• Iowa State University - College of Engineering: Land-grant Big 12/Big Ten engineering peer with comparable aerospace, civil, mechanical, and computer-science programs and a similar land-grant mission. Competes directly with KU for Midwest engineering applicants and federal research funding.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln - College of Engineering: Big Ten engineering peer in an adjacent Great Plains state with comparable scale, similar departmental mix, and overlapping recruitment territory. Comparable programs in civil, mechanical, and aerospace engineering make it a near-substitute for Kansas applicants.
• Kansas State University - Carl R. Ice College of Engineering: Kansas's other flagship public engineering school and KU's most direct in-state competitor for Kansas STEM talent, faculty, and research funding. Both schools compete for state appropriations and overlapping applicant pools in mechanical, civil, electrical, and aerospace engineering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kuengineering
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCp5ttWYV8FhS-Fp3gmS-4vQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/kuengineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/university-of-kansas-school-of-engineering
• Instagraminstagram.com/kuengineering

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Kansas - School of Engineering