Best Online Colleges in Kansas
The Kansas Department of Labor projects that employment in the state will grow by 4.3% from 2016 to 2026, adding roughly 64,000 new jobs. Just two industries in Kansas, business services and education and health services, will likely account for close to 90% of all economic growth during this period. However, the manufacturing industry in the state should experience a loss of more than 11,000 positions during those years.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual mean wage in Kansas was $45,280 in 2018. However, individuals with higher levels of education can often earn considerably more. For example, that same year, general and operations managers earned an average salary of $97,920, and financial managers made an average of $129,660. Both of these roles require at least a bachelor’s degree, though some employers may prefer to hire candidates with a master’s.
Related Programs That Might Interest You
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Continuing your education can give you a competitive edge in the job market, but it can often be difficult to balance your studies with other professional or personal responsibilities. Online programs, however, give students the flexibility they need to advance in their careers. In many programs, online students can review course materials, engage with their classmates and instructor, and complete assignments on their own schedule and from their own homes.
Our ranking of the best online colleges in Kansas will help you find the program that best suits your unique academic interests and professional aspirations. For each of the schools profiled below, we provide information on things like admission requirements, available programs of study, and financial aid opportunities. We also indicate whether classes are delivered asynchronously or students must log in to their virtual classroom at set times each week.
All of the colleges on this list hold regional accreditation, an important indicator of academic quality.
Best Online Colleges in Kansas
Kansas State University
- Manhattan, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$9,632
- Out-of-state$25,944
- In-State$10,294
- Out-of-state$23,018
- Retention Rate87%
- Acceptance Rate80%
- Students Enrolled19,745
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment49%
- AccreditationYes
Fort Hays State University
- Hays, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$4,140
- Out-of-state$14,580
- In-State$3,729
- Out-of-state$10,602
- Retention Rate76%
- Acceptance Rate88%
- Students Enrolled12,949
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment61%
- AccreditationYes
University of Kansas
- Lawrence, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$10,294
- Out-of-state$27,500
- In-State$9,989
- Out-of-state$23,951
- Retention Rate85%
- Acceptance Rate88%
- Students Enrolled28,406
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment46%
- AccreditationYes
Emporia State University
- Emporia, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$5,542
- Out-of-state$13,855
- In-State$6,547
- Out-of-state$16,368
- Retention Rate68%
- Acceptance Rate98%
- Students Enrolled4,658
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment74%
- AccreditationYes
Wichita State University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$7,247
- Out-of-state$17,165
- In-State$5,544
- Out-of-state$13,615
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance Rate62%
- Students Enrolled17,548
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment57%
- AccreditationYes
Newman University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$32,400
- Out-of-state$32,400
- In-State$7,920
- Out-of-state$7,920
- Retention Rate69%
- Acceptance Rate51%
- Students Enrolled2,848
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment26%
- AccreditationYes
Pittsburg State University
- Pittsburg, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$6,840
- Out-of-state$15,912
- In-State$6,820
- Out-of-state$17,652
- Retention Rate78%
- Acceptance Rate93%
- Students Enrolled5,732
- Institution TypePublic
- Percent Online Enrollment74%
- AccreditationYes
Ottawa University
- Ottawa, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$29,980
- Out-of-state$29,980
- In-State$9,892
- Out-of-state$9,892
- Retention Rate57%
- Acceptance Rate78%
- Students Enrolled953
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment26%
- AccreditationYes
Barclay College
- Haviland, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$19,000
- Out-of-state$19,000
- In-State$7,980
- Out-of-state$7,980
- Retention Rate88%
- Acceptance Rate53%
- Students Enrolled169
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment33%
- AccreditationYes
Friends University
- Wichita, KS
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- In-State$31,172
- Out-of-state$31,172
- In-State$11,448
- Out-of-state$11,448
- Retention Rate62%
- Acceptance Rate63%
- Students Enrolled1,724
- Institution TypePrivate
- Percent Online Enrollment53%
- AccreditationYes
How We Rank Schools
At BestColleges, we believe a college education is one of the most important investments you can make. We help you navigate the college selection process by offering transparent, inclusive, and relevant school rankings.
We use datasets from trusted sources like the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the data for these schools and our methodologies. This ranking is from 2021. To learn more, check out our full ranking methodologies.
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