Why This Matters

  • 33 COLLEGES IN KANSAS

    According to College Navigator, there are eight public universities, 23 private non-profit colleges, and two private for-profit schools in Kansas.

  • $9,360 AVERAGE IN-STATE TUITION & FEES

    According to College Board, the average cost of in-state tuition for the 2021-22 school year was $9,360 in Kansas.

  • $14,800 FINANCIAL AID PER U.S. STUDENT

    The national average financial aid per full-time student awarded in 2020-21 was $14,800.

Our Research

This list features some of the best brick-and-mortar schools in Kansas. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included liberal arts colleges and research universities as well as small, midsize, and large institutions. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.

The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines the objectives, quality, and overall effectiveness of education programs in the central United States.

We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for on-campus students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.

The Top 50 Colleges in Kansas

Best Colleges In Kansas
01
Intelligent Pick
University of Kansas
01
Best Public School
Kansas State University
01
Best Dual Degree Programs
Baker University
01
Best for Study Abroad
Benedictine College
01
Best Interdisciplinary Studies
Newman University
01
Best Undergraduate Programs
Bethel College
01
Best Hands-on Learning
McPherson College
01
Best for Veterans
Kansas Wesleyan University
01
Most Affordable
Pittsburg State University
01
Best Christian School
Sterling College
01

Cleveland University-Kansas City
01

Ottawa University
01

Fort Hays State University
01

Emporia State University
01

MidAmerica Nazarene University
01

Wichita State University
01

Friends University
01

Washburn University
01

Hesston College
01

Southwestern College

 

What You Should Know About Graduating From College in Kansas

When considering schools in a specific state, it’s crucial to know the employment outlook for that state. As of October 2021, the top five industries in Kansas are trade, transportation, and utilities; government; goods-producing; education and health services; and professional and business services.

And if you want to dive a little deeper, you might be interested in learning about the fastest growing careers in Kansas. The top five fastest growing occupations in the state for workers with a bachelor’s degree are information security analysts, logisticians, data scientists, medical and health services managers, and operations research analysts.

Kansas has a significant number of major companies that employ thousands of people. Some of the top employers in the state include Spirit Aerosystems, Kansas State University, Wesley Medical Center, S&C Electric Co., and Stormont Vail Healthcare.

What’s Next?

It’s essential to have a complete understanding of the financial aid options available to you. Here are the three major resources for researching federal and state financial aid options for Kansas:

  • The Kansas Board of Regents. The Kansas Board of Regents is a Higher Education Agency and a branch office of the U.S. Department of Education. Some of the most useful information for students on this site includes the Financial Aid FAQ, a list of Kansas Financial Aid Offices, and a page detailing state-wide scholarships and grants.
  • Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Student Aid is a branch office of the U.S. Department of Education. Students who are interested in applying for federal financial aid can do so through the FAFSA website. You can also check your eligibility for FAFSA.
  • CareerOneStop. CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and provides students with a single resource to research information about potential careers, training, and jobs. Users can filter their options by state and degree type and look at scholarships and grants within a specific state.