Fort Hays State University

FHSU is both an online school and a traditional university with a campus in Hays, Kansas. Students have the opportunity to study in either format depending on where they live and what programs they're pursuing. It's common for even the most popular online schools to have an on-site facility for in-state students to study locally.

Yes, FHSU is an accredited online school. It's accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. In order to provide the most trustworthy information possible, OnlineU only features accredited universities on its site, which means that each school featured has undergone rigorous testing by a third-party education agency to ensure the quality of its curriculum and faculty. 

FHSU is best known for its online degree offerings, as the majority of the student body studies remotely. In fact, there are nearly double the amount of online students (6,604) compared to those who learn on campus (3,807). Another way to look at it is through the percentage of students that study exclusively online, as opposed to those who may take some online courses while mainly studying on campus. The National Center for Education Statistics shows that 36% of undergraduate students and 91% of graduate students are enrolled only in online programs.

At FHSU, there are more than 200 degrees and certificates that students can complete entirely online. Areas of study include health science, education, business, technology, and the arts.

According to College Scorecard, the highest paying degree at FHSU is its online RN to BSN degree. Students can finish this bachelor's program in nursing in as little as three semesters, but FHSU does require students to possess a nursing license before applying. Upon graduation, students are expected to earn an annual median salary of $61,900. The second highest earning degree is the Bachelor of Science in Information Networking and Telecommunications - Information Systems. With this degree, students can earn an annual median salary of ~$49,900.

OnlineU's proprietary Salary Score is a metric that compares alumni salaries from different schools using the same degree. FHSU scores 50 out of 100 for bachelor's degrees and 31 out of 100 for master's degrees. 

FHSU is easier to get into than many other schools, evidenced by its high acceptance rate of 91%. Although the school doesn't have an open admissions policy overall, some colleges within FHSU do accept all applicants. For example, the Werth College of Science, Technology, and Mathematics has a 100% acceptance rate for graduate students seeking to pursue a degree in chiropractic, law, optometry, and medical technology, among other areas. 

FHSU accepts students on a rolling basis. This means the process is more flexible and allows applicants to apply to college at any time of year. Students must also complete the following steps:

• Submit an online application.
• Pay the $30 application fee.
• First-year students applying for the first time must have at least one of the following: a minimum GPA of 2.25, an ACT composite score of 21, or a higher SAT score of 1060. 
• College entrance exams are optional if students meet the GPA requirements. 
• Submit high school or college transcripts.

Keep in mind, application requirements are slightly different for international, out-of-state, and graduate students.