Rankings / By State
Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas
- 20
- Schools
- $53,018
- Avg. Earnings
- 46%
- Avg. Graduation
- $22,411
- Avg. Net Price
- $22,423
- Avg. Debt
CollegeRanker Research
What Surprised Us Most
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Median graduate earnings across these 20 schools run from $44,468 to $63,855, a 1.4× gap. The category label alone says little about payoff.
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Wichita State University delivers the most for the money: roughly $51,532 in median earnings against $13,194 a year in net price, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio on the list.
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Central Christian College of Kansas is the lowest-cost school here at $11,404 a year in net price.
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University of Kansas graduates 69% of its students, versus a 46% average across the list. Completion, more than selectivity, signals whether a degree actually gets finished.
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MidAmerica Nazarene University carries the healthiest debt load, with graduates owing just 0.24× their annual earnings.
Surprising Comparisons
- Central Christian College of Kansas costs $11,404 a year and Bethel College-North Newton costs $32,917. Yet their graduates earn $44,468 and $49,898, nowhere near the $21,513 price gap.
- On value, Wichita State University beats Baker University: comparable career payoff at a fraction of the net price.
- Graduation rates split the field: University of Kansas finishes 69% of students while Central Christian College of Kansas finishes 25%. Same ranking, very different odds of leaving with a degree.
The Takeaway
A consistent pattern: the schools that finish at the top get there by delivering strong earnings, manageable debt, and real mobility rather than by charging more or rejecting more applicants. Those outcomes are what define educational value.
What This Means for Students
For students evaluating these schools, begin with Wichita State University and University of Kansas. Look past sticker price: pull each school's net price for your income level, compare it against projected earnings, and let the data guide the decision instead of the brand.
Why this ranking matters
These schools are ranked on outcomes that compound: graduate earnings, upward mobility, debt, and value, all drawn from federal tax records and Scorecard data rather than reputation surveys. The list rewards results over prestige, led by institutions whose graduates earn a median of about $52K ten years after enrollment.
How we measure this — full methodology →How we rank · 4 pillars
Federal-source data only. Build your own weighting →
Data Behind This Page Updated 2026-07-13
Source datasets
Methodology
Schools are scored on the CollegeRanker 4-Pillar Algorithm: Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25–35%), Academic Quality (15–20%), and Value (20–25%). Every weight is published and every figure traces to a public dataset.
See the full methodology and weights →Confidence notes
- Earnings, completion, and debt figures come from federal administrative records — tax data and student-aid filings — not surveys or self-reports, the highest-confidence tier of education data available.
- Social-mobility estimates are drawn from de-identified tax records covering more than 30 million students (Opportunity Insights).
- Where an institution is missing a metric, it is excluded from that metric rather than imputed, so averages are never inflated by guesses.
Limitations
- Federal earnings data primarily cover students who received federal financial aid; outcomes for non-aided students may differ.
- Earnings are measured roughly ten years after enrollment, so they describe how earlier cohorts fared — historical outcomes, not guarantees of future results.
- An institution's field-of-study mix affects raw earnings; scores reflect measured outcomes and are not fully major-adjusted unless explicitly noted.
- Net price is an average; the actual cost a given student pays varies widely by family income.
At a Glance
How the Top Schools Compare
| School | Earnings | Net Price | Graduation | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Baker University #1 overall | $63,855 ▲ +20% vs avg | $25,301 | 59% | 69 |
| 2 Tabor College #2 overall | $54,058 ▲ +2% vs avg | $20,205 | 33% | 68 |
| 3 Friends University #3 overall | $52,113 ▼ -2% vs avg | $27,715 | 52% | 68 |
| $52,084 ▼ -2% vs avg | $26,441 | 44% | 67 | |
| $61,945 ▲ +17% vs avg | $18,059 | 69% | 66 |
Score uses our 4-pillar methodology. Earnings % is vs. this list's average.
See full ranking →Executive Summary
Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas
This analysis ranks 20 institutions on graduate earnings, social mobility, completion, and cost. Across the list, alumni earn a median of $53,018 ten years after enrolling, against an average graduation rate of 46% and an average net price of $22,411.
Key takeaways
- Strongest Earnings-to-Cost Ratio: Wichita State University — Net Price: $13,194 | Graduation Rate: 51%
- Strongest Completion Outcomes: University of Kansas — 69% completion rate
- Highest Earnings Generator: Baker University — Median alumni earnings: $63,855
CollegeRanker Primary Research
Private nonprofit colleges cost 110% more in net price than publics, while their graduates earn 21% more.
Human Services Workforce Analysis
What does this ranking tell us about the human-services and social-work workforce?
$51,808
Median earnings (10yr)
47%
Median graduation rate
$22,595
Median net price
1.3%
Avg. mobility rate
Psychology, social work, and counseling programs train a workforce in high and rising demand. Mental-health needs, child and family services, and an aging population all pull for licensed practitioners. The work is essential and licensure-gated. Pay is modest, which makes the economics of the degree unusually sensitive to cost.
Start with the medians across these 20 schools. Graduates earn a median of $51,808 ten years after enrollment, or about $3,808 above the $48,000 a typical American worker earns. The median graduation rate is 47%, and the typical net price (what students pay after grants) runs $22,595 a year with about $23,250 in federal debt. Pell grants reach 34% of students on average, and the average mobility rate, the share of students lifted from the bottom income quintile to the top, is 1.3%.
What we’re seeing: demand is strong and growing, but the salary ceiling means affordability decides the return. With median earnings around $51,808 and a median net price of $22,595, the best value comes from programs that keep debt well below early-career pay.
The podium
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Full rankings
Why it ranks #1
Baker University lands at #1 with a 69/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (47/100). Graduates earn a median $63,855 a decade after enrolling, 20% above this list's average, and net price runs $25,301 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #2
Tabor College lands at #2 with a 68/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (50/100). Graduates earn a median $54,058 a decade after enrolling, 2% above this list's average, and net price runs $20,205 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #3
Friends University lands at #3 with a 68/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (42/100). Graduates earn a median $52,113 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $27,715 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #4
McPherson College lands at #4 with a 67/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (41/100). Graduates earn a median $52,084 a decade after enrolling, 2% below this list's average, and net price runs $26,441 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #5
University of Kansas lands at #5 with a 66/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (62/100). Graduates earn a median $61,945 a decade after enrolling, 17% above this list's average, and net price runs $18,059 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #6
Fort Hays State University lands at #6 with a 65/100 composite, led by social mobility (88/100) and pulled down by academic quality (63/100). Graduates earn a median $48,928 a decade after enrolling, 8% below this list's average, and net price runs $12,569 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #7
Emporia State University lands at #7 with a 64/100 composite, led by social mobility (82/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (60/100). Graduates earn a median $47,601 a decade after enrolling, 10% below this list's average, and net price runs $16,261 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #8
Wichita State University lands at #8 with a 64/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (64/100). Graduates earn a median $51,532 a decade after enrolling, 3% below this list's average, and net price runs $13,194 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #9
Pittsburg State University lands at #9 with a 63/100 composite, led by social mobility (81/100) and pulled down by academic quality (63/100). Graduates earn a median $50,579 a decade after enrolling, 5% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,784 a year, well under the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what puts it near the top, even with below-average salaries.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #10
Ottawa University-Ottawa lands at #10 with a 61/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (67/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $55,552 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $27,963 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #11
Benedictine College lands at #11 with a 61/100 composite, led by social mobility (80/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (44/100). Graduates earn a median $53,175 a decade after enrolling, 0% above this list's average, and net price runs $27,891 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #12
MidAmerica Nazarene University lands at #12 with a 60/100 composite, led by social mobility (83/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $62,972 a decade after enrolling, 19% above this list's average, and net price runs $32,165 a year, above the field. Because the methodology weights social mobility (35%) and value (20%) above prestige, that mobility is what carries it up the list.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #13
Bethel College-North Newton lands at #13 with a 57/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (64/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (30/100). Graduates earn a median $49,898 a decade after enrolling, 6% below this list's average, and net price runs $32,917 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #14
Southwestern College lands at #14 with a 56/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (65/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $55,646 a decade after enrolling, 5% above this list's average, and net price runs $29,824 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #15
Bethany College lands at #15 with a 53/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (62/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (39/100). Graduates earn a median $49,694 a decade after enrolling, 6% below this list's average, and net price runs $27,686 a year, above the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #16
University of Saint Mary lands at #16 with a 51/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (69/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (44/100). Graduates earn a median $59,483 a decade after enrolling, 12% above this list's average, and net price runs $22,519 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #17
Kansas Wesleyan University lands at #17 with a 50/100 composite, led by academic quality (65/100) and pulled down by social mobility (39/100). Graduates earn a median $51,152 a decade after enrolling, 4% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,671 a year. Academics score well here, yet mobility (35%) and value (20%) carry the most weight, so outcome-per-dollar sets the final position.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #18
Washburn University lands at #18 with a 49/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (66/100) and pulled down by social mobility (57/100). Graduates earn a median $49,774 a decade after enrolling, 6% below this list's average, and net price runs $15,280 a year, well under the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #19
Central Christian College of Kansas lands at #19 with a 47/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (56/100) and pulled down by academic quality (38/100). Graduates earn a median $44,468 a decade after enrolling, 16% below this list's average, and net price runs $11,404 a year, well under the field. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Why it ranks #20
Sterling College lands at #20 with a 45/100 composite, led by economic outcomes (60/100) and pulled down by value per dollar (49/100). Graduates earn a median $45,846 a decade after enrolling, 14% below this list's average, and net price runs $22,371 a year. Strong earnings drive the rank, but with mobility weighted 35% and value 20%, salary alone can only take a school so far.
Pillar breakdown
Cut it by what you care about
The same 20 schools, re-ranked by the outcome that matters to you.
Where the programs are
Choosing the right psychology program can feel overwhelming, especially with 18 options available in Kansas. Each of these schools offers unique pathways into an important field that influences mental health and well-being.
What sets these programs apart are the outcomes that truly matter to students and families: earnings after graduation, graduation rates, debt levels, and overall mobility. The schools listed below have demonstrated strong results in these areas, giving you a clearer picture of what to expect after earning your degree.
Take, for example, the University of Kansas and Ottawa University-Ottawa. The University of Kansas graduates earn an average of $61,945, while Ottawa's graduates earn $55,552. However, the graduation rate at the University of Kansas is significantly higher at 69%, compared to Ottawa's 28%. These numbers illustrate the tradeoffs you might need to consider between potential earnings and the likelihood of completing your degree.
The story behind the ranking
A ranking gives you an order; these charts give you the shape. They show how this group of schools spreads across the four things that decide whether a degree pays off — what graduates earn, whether they finish, how far they move up, and what it costs. Look for the standouts, the outliers, and the trade-offs the list alone can't show.
Earnings Outcomes
What graduates earn 10 years after enrolling. Data from College Scorecard.
Distribution of Median Earnings
Earnings vs. Net Price
Top-left = best value. Top-ranked schools are highlighted.
Completion & Access
Graduation rates and who gets in. Data from College Scorecard & IPEDS.
Graduation Rates
Pell Grant Rate vs. Graduation Rate
Right = more low-income students. Higher = more graduate.
What the Mobility Data Says
The backbone of this ranking is social-mobility data from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, which draws on more than 30 million tax records. A school's mobility rate is the share of its students who move from the bottom income quintile to the top. Among the 12 schools on this list with available data, that rate averages 1.3%. McPherson College leads the group at 3.4%, with Tabor College (2.2%) and Pittsburg State University (1.5%) close behind.
Who gets in matters as much as what happens after. Across these schools, an average of 6.1% of students start in the bottom income quintile. McPherson College leads at 11.6%, which signals an admissions door that is actually open to low-income students. Schools that pair high access with high mobility are the ones driving generational change.
Once low-income students enroll, their odds of reaching the top income quintile average 21.1% across this list. Tabor College posts the highest success rate at 38.8%. Access without completion and career momentum is an incomplete picture, and this is the number that completes it.
Social capital, measured by economic connectedness, captures the degree of cross-class friendship on campus, another dimension Opportunity Insights ties to long-run outcomes. Across these schools it averages 1.64 against a national benchmark of 1.0. Baker University reaches 1.75, the highest on the list.
Mobility, access, and social-capital figures from Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card & the Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas.
Cost & Debt
What families actually pay and what students owe. Data from College Scorecard.
Median Debt at Graduation
When we look closely at the data, a clear trend emerges: the University of Kansas stands out for its high earning potential and graduation rate. With graduates making an average of $61,945 and a graduation rate of 69%, it outperforms Ottawa University-Ottawa, where graduates earn $55,552 and only 28% complete their degrees. This data suggests that while Ottawa may seem appealing, the likelihood of graduating and achieving strong earnings is considerably higher at Kansas.
Now that you've seen the rankings, think about what matters most to you. Are you prioritizing a lower net price, or is finding a school with a high graduation rate more important? If you value financial stability, programs like Wichita State University offer reasonable tuition and decent earning potential. Make a list of your priorities and see which schools align best with them.
The path from college to a stable life is paved with choices, and the data here reflects that reality. Each family must weigh their options carefully. Consider this: a degree from the University of Kansas not only offers higher earnings but also a better chance of graduating, ultimately leading to more opportunities for a stable future. Every decision matters, and the right information can help guide those choices.
Data Sources
U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard
Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card
Social Capital Atlas
Times Higher Education World Rankings
NCES IPEDS
Frequently Asked Questions
Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas: Your Questions, Answered
What is the #1 school in the Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas ranking? +
Baker University in Baldwin City, KS ranks #1 in our 2026 Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas ranking. It earns the top spot on the strength of a median $63,855 in graduate earnings ten years after enrollment and a 59% graduation rate. Our score is built entirely from federal data on graduation rates, graduate earnings, debt, and social mobility. Reputation surveys play no part.
Which school has the highest graduate earnings? +
Baker University posts the highest median earnings on this list: $63,855 ten years after enrollment, well above the $53,018 average across the 20 ranked schools with earnings data. Earnings that outpace cost are what separate a degree that pays off from one that does not.
Which school offers the best value? +
On a pure return-on-cost basis, Wichita State University leads: graduates earn a median $51,532 against net price of about $13,194 a year, the strongest earnings-to-cost ratio in the ranking. Applicants should weigh that payback against sticker price rather than prestige.
Which school has the highest graduation rate? +
University of Kansas has the highest graduation rate in this ranking at 69%, compared with a 46% average across the list. Completion matters because the students who finish are the ones who actually capture the earnings and mobility gains a degree promises.
How much does it cost to attend these schools? +
The average net price, meaning what students actually pay after grants and scholarships, is about $22,411 a year across the 20 ranked schools with cost data. Central Christian College of Kansas is among the most affordable at roughly $11,404. Net price is a far better guide to affordability than the published sticker price.
How is the Best Psychology Colleges in Kansas ranking calculated? +
We score every school on a four-pillar algorithm: economic outcomes (graduate earnings and debt), social mobility (Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card, built on more than 30 million anonymized tax records), academic quality (graduation and retention), and value (net price and loan burden). Social mobility carries the heaviest weight, so schools that lift low-income students into higher earnings rank above those that simply admit wealthy students. Every input comes from federal data, and schools that withhold their numbers are scored lower for it.
How many schools are ranked and where does the data come from? +
This ranking evaluates 20 institutions using the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, the Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card and Social Capital Atlas, Times Higher Education, and NCES IPEDS. There are no opinion surveys or paid placements. The order is determined by the data alone and refreshed as new federal figures are released.
Sources & Citations
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