2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kansas
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general education education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 13 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general education students.
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2026 Best Value General Education Schools in Kansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general education degrees they offer, see the list below.
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. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,495. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Highland Community College Highland earn a median of $22,909 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Barton County Community College earned it the #2 place for general education. Barton County Community College is a large public school located in the rural area of Great Bend. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,680, compared with $4,960 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $14,792 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Barton County Community College earn a median of $44,536 early in their careers. Set against $14,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fort Hays State University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general education schools. Fort Hays State University is a large public school located in the town of Hays. In-state tuition and fees average $5,923, while out-of-state students pay about $17,741. Students borrow a median of $25,967 to complete the general education program here. 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. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #4 spot this year. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. Students from in state pay about $11,221 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $23,546. Early-career general education graduates make about $51,543. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Tabor College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general education, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Hillsboro, Tabor College is a small private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $36,200. Ten years after enrolling, students earn a median of $54,058. Tabor College admits about 65% of applicants.
Baker University earned the #6 position for value in general education this year. Baker University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the rural area of Baldwin City. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $35,200. Students borrow a median of $29,554 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Baker University earn a median of $54,404 early in their careers. Set against $29,554 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
More General Education Rankings
View All General Education Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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.
