Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in Kansas offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.
Prospective students searching for both brick-and-mortar and online colleges in Kansas can choose from a wide range of excellent schools. The Sunflower State offers a wide range of highly accessible public options for Kansas students seeking undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide range of disciplines.
Kansas is noted for its 23 community and technical colleges. These institutions provide numerous pathways to traditional and online degree programs, and well as online certificate programs for working professionals.
Kansas also has nine public universities, the largest being the University of Kansas (KU) with over 28,000 students. The school’s main campus is located in Lawrence, Kansas, but there are four other locations where students can attend KU classes: Overland Park, Kansas City, Wichita, and Salina. This means there are plenty of options for Kansas students seeking an on-campus experience and in state tuition rates.
It should also be noted that online students attending public colleges in Kansas are also entitled to in state tuition rates.
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Kansas is also home to 22 private higher education institutions, with tuition ranging from $7,000 to $31,000.
In addition, students can choose from one of 18 religiously affiliated schools, including Newman University, Wichita - a Catholic liberal arts university serving the state’s largest private school student population at just over 2,000.
Kansas boasts an array of affordable options for both on-campus and online learners. The average tuition for a year of college in Kansas is $9,230, which is below the national average.
Kansas awards associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in popular fields of study, like economics, health services administration, early childhood education, elementary education, business administration, and more. Specialized degrees include aerospace engineering at the University of Kansas and agribusiness from Kansas State University.
Students who earn degrees in the medical and health care fields may have access to loan forgiveness-based programs, such as the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program. This financial aid program awards up to $50,000, tax free, for those who serve two years at an approved site.
Arguably, it was the 1939 cinema classic, The Wizard of Oz, that put Kansas on the map. But this midwestern state is also known for its mouth-watering barbecue, open plains, and vast sunflower fields. Prospective students can also choose from traditional and online schools and universities across the state of Kansas.
See what Kansas has to offer by checking out the top undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as unique educational opportunities like online certificate programs and degree completion programs.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 17 private universities in Kansas. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in Kansas, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
62%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/22
Baker University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
37%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
975/19
Ottawa University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
58%
Graduation
42%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/22
Friends University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
65%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/24
Benedictine College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
47%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1041/21
Kansas Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
38%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
995/21
Southwestern College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$28K
Graduation
63%
Student body
<1K
Hesston College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
44%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1030/21
Bethel College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
42%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1045/19
Tabor College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
48%
Student body
2K
MidAmerica Nazarene University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
47%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1087/21
Newman University, Wichita’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Graduation
13%
Student body
<1K
Donnelly College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
38%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/21
McPherson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
37%
Graduation
47%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
985/20
Sterling College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
34%
Student body
<1K
Bethany College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
56%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1045/20
University of Saint Mary’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Graduation
23%
Student body
<1K
Central Christian College of Kansas’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
Friends University MidAmerica Nazarene University Southwestern College Ottawa University Baker University Bethel College Benedictine College Kansas Wesleyan University Tabor College McPherson College Sterling College Newman University, Wichita Bethany College University of Saint Mary