2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kansas
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/education-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general education schools.
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2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
Our analysis ranked Highland Community College Highland the best value for a degree in general education in Kansas. Highland Community College Highland is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Highland. In-state tuition and fees average $4,495. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Highland Community College Highland generally make around $22,909. Set against $11,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Barton County Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general education schools. Set in the rural area of Great Bend, Barton County Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,680, while out-of-state students pay about $4,960. General Education graduates carry a median of $14,792 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $44,536. Set against $14,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fort Hays State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #3 spot this year. Fort Hays State University is a large public school located in the town of Hays. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,923, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. General Education graduates carry a median of $25,967 in student loans. General Education graduates of Fort Hays State University earn a median of $50,872 early in their careers. Set against $25,967 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #4 makes Kansas State University one of the best values for general education. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, while out-of-state students pay about $28,568. Students borrow a median of $23,546 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $51,543. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Tabor College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general education schools. Located in the rural area of Hillsboro, Tabor College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $36,200. Median earnings reach $54,058 ten years out. Roughly 65% of applicants are accepted.
Baker University placed #6 among the best values for general education. Located in the rural area of Baldwin City, Baker University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $35,200. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $29,554. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Baker University generally make around $54,404. That is a strong return on a $29,554 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
