2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in Kansas
[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong special education education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for special education students.
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2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in special education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Special Education Schools
Leading the list is Colby Community College, our #1 best value for special education in Kansas. Colby Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Colby. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,140, with out-of-state students paying around $5,830. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $14,796. Special Education graduates of Colby Community College earn a median of $40,598 early in their careers. Set against $14,796 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Fort Hays State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in special education, landing the #2 spot this year. Fort Hays State University is a large public school located in the town of Hays. Students from in state pay about $5,923 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $25,967. Special Education graduates of Fort Hays State University earn a median of $53,586 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.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Wichita State University earned it the #3 place for special education. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. In-state tuition and fees average $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Special Education graduates carry a median of $24,262 in student loans. Special Education graduates of Wichita State University earn a median of $55,624 early in their careers. Set against $24,262 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Emporia State University earned it the #4 place for special education. Located in the town of Emporia, Emporia State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,106, with out-of-state students paying around $15,419. Students borrow a median of $23,131 to complete the special education program here. Special Education graduates of Emporia State University earn a median of $53,927 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 98%.
Students looking for strong value in special education will find it at University Of Kansas, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,102, with out-of-state students paying around $30,432. Special Education graduates carry a median of $23,608 in student loans. Special Education graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $58,196 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,608 median debt. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Kansas State University earned the #6 position for value in special education this year. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $23,546. Early-career special education graduates make about $51,543. That is a strong return on a $23,546 median debt. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
Pittsburg State University came in at #7 for value in special education this year. Set in the town of Pittsburg, Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400, with out-of-state students paying around $19,744. Special Education graduates carry a median of $22,669 in student loans. Special Education graduates of Pittsburg State University earn a median of $52,368 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
More Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 6 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.
