2022 best colleges in Kansas
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Net cost: The median annual cost of all students that receive any aid. This does not refer to the “sticker price”, the price listed by the college.
Earnings: The median earnings of all bachelor-level students 10 years after enrollment. This includes both students that do and do not graduate, across all majors.
Payback: The amount of time in years it takes to pay off the median net cost by the median earnings. For this calculation, the median earning of high school graduates (in the school’s home state) are deducted from the median earnings.
Degree premium: The difference between the school’s median earnings and the median earnings for all schools in the same state. This is called “Vs. state average” in school profiles below.
Ranking: The payback rate is divided by the degree premium (set as a percentage), the lower the number the higher the rank. (i.e. payback=1, degree premium 20% higher than state school median: 1/120% = .883.
University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Admission rate: 91%
Grad rate: 64%
Net cost: $18,918
Payback: 2.7 Years
Earnings: $56,386
Vs. state average: + $7,291
Economic score: 2.32
Newman University
Wichita, Kansas
Admission rate: 84%
Grad rate: 62%
Net cost: $16,497
Payback: 2.9 Years
Earnings: $49,787
Vs. state average: + $692
Economic score: 2.88
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
Admission rate: 95%
Grad rate: 62%
Net cost: $18,285
Payback: 3.1 Years
Earnings: $51,608
Vs. state average: + $2,513
Economic score: 2.99
Baker University
Baldwin City, Kansas
Admission rate: 94%
Grad rate: 58%
Net cost: $22,879
Payback: 3.7 Years
Earnings: $56,804
Vs. state average: + $7,709
Economic score: 3.17
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, Kansas
Admission rate: 91%
Grad rate: 55%
Net cost: $14,436
Payback: 3.0 Years
Earnings: $45,937
Vs. state average: - $3,158
Economic score: 3.22
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Admission rate: 80%
Grad rate: 50%
Net cost: $14,382
Payback: 3.1 Years
Earnings: $47,524
Vs. state average: - $1,571
Economic score: 3.24
Fort Hays State University
Hays, Kansas
Admission rate: 92%
Grad rate: 56%
Net cost: $12,053
Payback: 3.3 Years
Earnings: $42,518
Vs. state average: - $6,577
Economic score: 3.78
University of Saint Mary
Leavenworth, Kansas
Admission rate: 60%
Grad rate: 60%
Net cost: $21,000
Payback: 4.3 Years
Earnings: $50,006
Vs. state average: + $911
Economic score: 4.20
Friends University
Wichita, Kansas
Admission rate: 58%
Grad rate: 57%
Net cost: $20,686
Payback: 4.5 Years
Earnings: $48,343
Vs. state average: - $752
Economic score: 4.59
Southwestern College
Winfield, Kansas
Admission rate: 57%
Grad rate: 46%
Net cost: $23,507
Payback: 4.8 Years
Earnings: $50,205
Vs. state average: + $1,110
Economic score: 4.65
Ottawa University-Ottawa
Ottawa, Kansas
Admission rate: 71%
Grad rate: 46%
Net cost: $24,585
Payback: 4.9 Years
Earnings: $47,355
Vs. state average: - $1,740
Economic score: 5.06
MidAmerica Nazarene University
Olathe, Kansas
Admission rate: 64%
Grad rate: 62%
Net cost: $26,222
Payback: 5.3 Years
Earnings: $50,243
Vs. state average: + $1,148
Economic score: 5.18
Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas
Admission rate: 87%
Grad rate: 50%
Net cost: $14,822
Payback: 4.3 Years
Earnings: $40,772
Vs. state average: - $8,323
Economic score: 5.21
Benedictine College
Atchison, Kansas
Admission rate: 97%
Grad rate: 61%
Net cost: $23,011
Payback: 5.2 Years
Earnings: $47,772
Vs. state average: - $1,323
Economic score: 5.30
Bethel College-North Newton
North Newton, Kansas
Admission rate: 62%
Grad rate: 48%
Net cost: $21,646
Payback: 5.2 Years
Earnings: $46,099
Vs. state average: - $2,996
Economic score: 5.57
Sterling College
Sterling, Kansas
Admission rate: 37%
Grad rate: 52%
Net cost: $20,090
Payback: 5.1 Years
Earnings: $41,497
Vs. state average: - $7,598
Economic score: 6.06
Tabor College
Hillsboro, Kansas
Admission rate: 47%
Grad rate: 51%
Net cost: $24,221
Payback: 6.4 Years
Earnings: $44,228
Vs. state average: - $4,867
Economic score: 7.13
McPherson College
McPherson, Kansas
Admission rate: 53%
Grad rate: 44%
Net cost: $23,667
Payback: 7.0 Years
Earnings: $42,168
Vs. state average: - $6,927
Economic score: 8.19
Manhattan Christian College
Manhattan, Kansas
Admission rate: 49%
Grad rate: 54%
Net cost: $25,199
Payback: 7.3 Years
Earnings: $42,609
Vs. state average: - $6,486
Economic score: 8.41
Bethany College
Lindsborg, Kansas
Admission rate: 69%
Grad rate: 44%
Net cost: $23,343
Payback: 7.2 Years
Earnings: $41,604
Vs. state average: - $7,491
Economic score: 8.46
