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Pittsburg State University: Pittsburg State University
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College · Catholic life on campus

Pittsburg State University

  • LocationPittsburg, KS
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 5,722 students
Official website
Campus Ministry Honor Roll badge

Pittsburg State University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

St. Pius X Catholic Student Center, on the Pittsburg State University campus, is led by a student center chaplain, Fr. Derek Thome. Its published schedule lists Mass on Sundays, Tuesday through Thursday, and Friday, with confessions offered before Mass. Listed activities include FOCUS missionaries, a Newman Club, Bible studies, retreats, and a SEEK conference trip.

Mass, confession, and adoration

Confirm with the parish

Mass 5

  • Sunday11:00 AMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center · Markedwith an asterisk: every Sunday classes are in session.
  • Sunday6:00 PMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center
  • Tuesday–Thursday9:00 PMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center
  • Friday12:00 PMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center
  • Saturday4:00 PMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center · Home football night games only. For day games, Mass is 30 minutes after the game.

Confession 1

  • Tuesday, Wednesday8:35 PMSt. Pius X Catholic Student Center · Listed on the homepage calendar for October 13 and 14, 2026. The page says confessions are offered 25 minutes before Mass.

Adoration 1

  • Thursday9:00 AM–4:30 PMSt. Pius X Student Center (PSU) · Listed by the Diocese of Wichita parish directory, which is undated.

Times come only from official parish, chaplaincy, or school pages, and can change with the season. Last verified Oct. 12, 2026.

Sources for these times (2)
  1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Sunday - 11 AM * & 6 PM”
    Mass is offered on Sundays at 11 AM and 6 PM.
    “Sunday - 11 AM * & 6 PM”
    Mass is offered on Sundays at 11 AM and 6 PM.
    “Tues-Thurs - 9 PM Fri - 12 PM”
    Mass is offered Tuesday through Thursday at 9 PM and Friday at 12 PM.
    “Tues-Thurs - 9 PM Fri - 12 PM”
    Mass is offered Tuesday through Thursday at 9 PM and Friday at 12 PM.
    “Night Game: 4 PM”
    On home football game nights, Mass is at 4 PM.
    “Confessions 08:35 pm to 08:50 pm”
    A confession period of 8:35 to 8:50 PM is listed on the center's homepage calendar for October 13 and 14, 2026.
  2. Parishes | Catholic Diocese of Wichitacatholicdioceseofwichita.org/parishes · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “Thursday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm”
    Adoration is listed on Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM under St. Pius X Student Center (PSU).

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Pittsburg State University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.25 miThe Newman Center: 0.0 mi1St. Pius X Catholic Student Center: 0.1 miPittsburg State University (campus)N0.1 mi
CampusCatholic centerCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. The Newman Center — 0.0 mi

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

Catholic life scorecard

Each line is one thing we looked for. A check means yes, a half means partly, a dash means no. “Not enough information” means official sources did not say.

ACatholic life on campus: Strong (grade A): 85 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.

Catholic life on campus

88 of 100 points on what we could document.

  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic campus ministry serving this campus (Catholic center, campus ministry, or chaplaincy)Yes
    Sources (1)
    1. Mission Statement | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/about/mission-statement · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “dedicated to evangelizing students at Pittsburg State University and forming them into disciples of Christ”
      The center is a Catholic ministry serving Pittsburg State University students.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Dedicated Catholic center or chapel on or next to campusYes (The center's job posting places it on the campus of Pittsburg State University.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Job Openings | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/job-openings · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “St. Pius X Catholic Student Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University”
      The center is on the campus of Pittsburg State University.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Priest chaplain assigned to campus ministryFull-time priest chaplain (Presented on the center's staff page as its Student Center Chaplain. The diocese lists the same priest as clergy for this center only.)
    Sources (1)
    1. Staff | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/about/staff · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Father Derek Thome Student Center Chaplain”
      Fr. Derek Thome is the Student Center Chaplain.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Weekday Mass at the campus ministry1–4 weekdays (Weekday Mass is listed on four weekdays (Tuesday through Friday).)
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Tues-Thurs - 9 PM Fri - 12 PM”
      Mass is offered Tuesday through Thursday at 9 PM and Friday at 12 PM.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Sunday Mass at the campus ministry or a campus chapelTwo or more weekend Masses (Sunday Masses at 11 AM and 6 PM.)
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday - 11 AM * & 6 PM”
      Mass is offered on Sundays at 11 AM and 6 PM.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Scheduled confession at the campus ministryWeekly or more often (The page says confessions are offered 25 minutes before Mass. Mass is listed weekly; confession is offered weekly.)
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Confessions are offered 25 min before mass”
      Confession is offered before the center's Masses.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic student groups and missionary outreach (e.g., FOCUS, Saint Paul's Outreach, Knights of Columbus, Bible studies)Two or more (FOCUS missionaries and a Newman Club are listed.)
    Sources (2)
    1. FOCUS | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/focus · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “We are blessed to have four missionaries on campus”
      FOCUS missionaries serve Pittsburg State University students through the center.
    2. Intramurals & Clubs | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/intramurals-clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Come to the Newman Club meeting”
      The center lists a Newman Club for students.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Formation programs (retreats, OCIA/RCIA, service, small groups)Two or more kinds (Retreats, Bible and small-group studies, and service programs are listed.)
    Sources (3)
    1. SEEK Conference & Retreats | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/seek-conference-retreats · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Annual Cor ad Cor Retreat in the fall, Busy Student Retreat in the spring”
      The center offers a fall Cor ad Cor retreat and a spring Busy Student retreat.
    2. Book & Bible Studies | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/book-bible-studies · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “to meet weekly and grow not simply in knowledge of God”
      Book and Bible study small groups meet weekly.
    3. Stewardship | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/stewarship · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “serving the underprivileged through the Lord’s Diner”
      The center's stewardship program includes service to the underprivileged.
  • Yes: the school meets this item and earns its full points.
    Catholic church within walking distance (computed from OpenStreetMap)Within 1 mile of campusComputed from OpenStreetMap church locations.
  • Partly: the school meets some of this item and earns part of the points.
    Published weekly schedule of Mass, confession, and adoration6 to 11 times a week (10 weekly times documented: 7 Mass, 2 confession, 1 adoration.)Computed from the verified Mass, confession, and adoration times listed on this page (each day a time is offered counts once).

Grades come from the documented indicators under the published rubric. “Not enough information” does not mean the school lacks it.

Strengths

  • Mass is listed on Sundays and on four weekdays, with confession offered before Mass.
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Sunday - 11 AM * & 6 PM”
      Mass is offered on Sundays at 11 AM and 6 PM.
      “Tues-Thurs - 9 PM Fri - 12 PM”
      Mass is offered Tuesday through Thursday at 9 PM and Friday at 12 PM.
      “Confessions are offered 25 min before mass”
      Confession is offered before the center's Masses.
  • A named Student Center Chaplain is listed on the center's staff page.
    Sources (1)
    1. Staff | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/about/staff · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Father Derek Thome Student Center Chaplain”
      Fr. Derek Thome is the Student Center Chaplain.
  • FOCUS missionaries and a Newman Club are listed among student groups.
    Sources (2)
    1. FOCUS | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/focus · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “We are blessed to have four missionaries on campus”
      FOCUS missionaries serve Pittsburg State University students through the center.
    2. Intramurals & Clubs | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/student-life/intramurals-clubs · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Come to the Newman Club meeting”
      The center lists a Newman Club for students.

Concerns

  • Confession times are listed only for two dated calendar entries; otherwise the page states only that confession is offered 25 minutes before Mass.
    Sources (1)
    1. St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org · verified Oct. 12, 2026
      “Confessions are offered 25 min before mass”
      Confession is offered before the center's Masses.
      “Confessions 08:35 pm to 08:50 pm”
      A confession period of 8:35 to 8:50 PM is listed on the center's homepage calendar for October 13 and 14, 2026.

Know something we missed? Suggest a correction.

The Catholic center

St. Pius X Catholic Student Center

  • Address: 301A East Cleveland, Pittsburg, KS 66762
  • Location: On campus

View on map ↗

Source: catholicgorillas.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026, catholicgorillas.org, verified Oct. 12, 2026

Catholic clubs and student life

11 groups and regular activities · 0 on campus, 1 off campus, 10 location not published

Retreats 2

  • SEEK conferenceOff campus
    Students travel each year to the national SEEK conference, which moves to a new location annually; the center provides assistance to active members.
    catholicgorillas.org
  • Cor ad Cor Retreat and Busy Student Retreat
    Cor ad Cor in the fall; Busy Student Retreat in the spring
    Annual retreats offered by the center.
    catholicgorillas.org

Faith formation 3

  • Men's and Women's Groups
    Tuesday nights after Mass
    Men's and women's groups for friendship and faith.
    catholicgorillas.org
  • Book & Bible Studies
    Weekly
    Small groups that meet weekly for Scripture and book study.
    catholicgorillas.org
  • Restore Speakers Series
    Three speakers during the school year
    Evening events with a free meal, a talk, prayer, and a social time with the speaker.
    catholicgorillas.org

Clubs and groups 2

  • FOCUS missionaries
    Four FOCUS missionaries serve Pittsburg State students through friendship, Bible studies, and discipleship.
    catholicgorillas.org
  • Newman Club
    A Newman Club for students, mentioned on the center's intramurals and clubs page.
    catholicgorillas.org

Service 1

  • Stewardship and service
    Stewardship program that includes serving the underprivileged through the Lord's Dinner and fundraising for Adopt a Family.
    catholicgorillas.org

Social life 2

  • Wednesday Lunch
    Wednesdays
    Free lunch open to any Pittsburg State student.
    catholicgorillas.org
  • Sunday Night meals
    Sunday night meals for students, overseen by the center's advisory board and stewardship teams.
    catholicgorillas.org

Sports and recreation 1

  • Intramurals and clubs
    Sand volleyball, pickleball, hiking, game nights, pillow hockey, and tailgating before home football games, coordinated through GroupMe.
    catholicgorillas.org

Everything listed is published by the school, its campus ministry, or the parish. Ask the campus minister what’s happening this semester.

Catholic campus ministry

Sources (3)
  1. Mission Statement | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/about/mission-statement · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “dedicated to evangelizing students at Pittsburg State University and forming them into disciples of Christ”
    The center is a Catholic ministry serving Pittsburg State University students.
  2. Job Openings | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/job-openings · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “St. Pius X Catholic Student Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University”
    The center is on the campus of Pittsburg State University.
    “St. Pius X Catholic Student Center on the campus of Pittsburg State University”
    The center is on the campus of Pittsburg State University.
  3. Contact Us | St. Pius X Catholic Student Centercatholicgorillas.org/about/contact-us · verified Oct. 12, 2026
    “301A East Cleveland Pittsburg, KS 66762”
    The St. Pius X Catholic Student Center is at 301A East Cleveland, Pittsburg, KS 66762.

Reach out

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Academic Excellence

CAcademic Excellence: Mixed (grade C): 55 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
61 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.57%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,050 · ACT 20.5
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,572

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
4,426
Total students5,722
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$15,784
Cost of attendance (per year)$22,099
Median federal debt at graduation$18,969
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
57%
First-year retention77%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$50,579
Admission rate89%
Students receiving Pell grants30%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1050
SAT reading & writing—
SAT math—
ACT composite17–24
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 59 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Diocese of Wichita

The Most Reverend Carl A. Kemme, Bishop of Wichita

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Cathedral: Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Source: catholicdioceseofwichita.org, catholicdioceseofwichita.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county, using the diocese’s county list (Wikipedia). Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is Pittsburg State University a Catholic college?
No. Pittsburg State University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead. Catholic students are served by St. Pius X Catholic Student Center.
What is Pittsburg State University’s Catholic Life Score?
81 out of 100 (grade A). It measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes, together with academics.
Where is Mass celebrated at Pittsburg State University?
Mass is listed at St. Pius X Catholic Student Center. Days and times are on this page; please confirm with the parish or campus ministry before you go.
Is Pittsburg State University Compass Recommended?
Yes. Pittsburg State University meets the Compass Recommended standard for Catholic life on campus.

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