Kansas · Liberal Arts and Sciences

Best colleges for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Kansas

Ranked by graduate earnings

Fort Hays State University, University of Kansas and Friends University are the top bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Kansas by graduate earnings. Fort Hays State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $42,795, College Scorecard. Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas and Dodge City Community College award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Kansas: 627, 207 and 140 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 39 Kansas colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences and award 7,460 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…

Institutions
39
offering CIP 24.01
States & territories
59
with a program page
Degrees / yr
7,460
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$36,597
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
23
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,014
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
43%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Postsecondary Teachers, All Other
$88,720
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 5 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Fort Hays State University
Hays Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,79512048%—$26,573
2University of Kansas
Lawrence Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,52720769%—$22,500
3Friends University
Wichita Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$41,7342743%$24,084$31,500
4Emporia State University
Emporia Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,4233456%—$26,492
5Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,59762757%—$23,500

Top 10 certificate and associate programs

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Washburn University
Topeka Public · Associate degree
$39,46814353%—$19,750
2Kansas City Kansas Community College
Kansas City Public · Associate degree
$35,95533942%—$8,000
3Wichita State University
Wichita Public · Associate degree
$30,33130251%—$24,694
4Johnson County Community College
Overland Park Public · Associate degree
$29,8551,50931%—$9,700
5Butler Community College
El Dorado Public · Associate degree
$29,76137632%—$12,000
6Coffeyville Community College
Coffeyville Public · Associate degree
$28,35715938%—$8,000
7Neosho County Community College
Chanute Public · Associate degree
$27,43716434%—$8,600
8Fort Scott Community College
Fort Scott Public · Associate degree
$27,30316535%—$9,638
9Hutchinson Community College
Hutchinson Public · Associate degree
$26,15148753%—$8,750
10Garden City Community College
Garden City Public · Associate degree
$26,11032650%—$8,400

Colleges awarding the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Kansas

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg Public
627$36,597
2University of Kansas
Lawrence Public
207$42,527
3Dodge City Community College
Dodge City Public
140Not reported
4Fort Hays State University
Hays Public
120$42,795
5Pratt Community College
Pratt Public
119Not reported
6Seward County Community College
Liberal Public
107Not reported
7Hesston College
Hesston Private not-for-profit
55Not reported
8Donnelly College
Kansas City Private not-for-profit
36Not reported
9Emporia State University
Emporia Public
34$38,423
10Friends University
Wichita Private not-for-profit
27$41,734
Show the other 29 Kansas colleges offering Liberal Arts and Sciences
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Johnson County Community CollegeOverland ParkPublic1,509
Cowley County Community CollegeArkansas CityPublic547
Hutchinson Community CollegeHutchinsonPublic487
Butler Community CollegeEl DoradoPublic376
Kansas City Kansas Community CollegeKansas CityPublic339
Garden City Community CollegeGarden CityPublic326
Barton County Community CollegeGreat BendPublic324
Wichita State UniversityWichitaPublic302
Colby Community CollegeColbyPublic230
Allen County Community CollegeIolaPublic197
Labette Community CollegeParsonsPublic178
Fort Scott Community CollegeFort ScottPublic165
Cloud County Community CollegeConcordiaPublic164
Neosho County Community CollegeChanutePublic164
Coffeyville Community CollegeCoffeyvillePublic159
Highland Community CollegeHighlandPublic157
Washburn UniversityTopekaPublic143
Independence Community CollegeIndependencePublic85
Haskell Indian Nations UniversityLawrencePublic75
Central Christian College of KansasMcPhersonPrivate not-for-profit25
Kansas State UniversityManhattanPublic15
MidAmerica Nazarene UniversityOlathePrivate not-for-profit10
Southwestern CollegeWinfieldPrivate not-for-profit4
Benedictine CollegeAtchisonPrivate not-for-profit2
Bethany CollegeLindsborgPrivate not-for-profit1
Kansas Christian CollegeOverland ParkPrivate not-for-profit1
Kansas Wesleyan UniversitySalinaPrivate not-for-profit1
University of Saint MaryLeavenworthPrivate not-for-profit1
Tabor CollegeHillsboroPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Postsecondary Teachers, All Other (SOC 25-1199).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.8%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~13,500
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$78,490
typically Doctoral or professional degree

What Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in Kansas

Jobs in Kansas
2,530
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$88,720
median $75,790
Best-paying metro
$100,090
Wichita, KS

Related careers

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Kansas.

Which Kansas colleges award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees?+

Pittsburg State University (627 graduates a year), University of Kansas (207 graduates a year) and Dodge City Community College (140 graduates a year) award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Kansas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 39 Kansas colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences.

What is the best college for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Kansas?+

By graduate earnings, Fort Hays State University leads among bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Kansas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $42,795, College Scorecard. University of Kansas and Friends University follow. By degrees awarded, Pittsburg State University is the largest, with 627 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Liberal Arts and Sciences program in Kansas has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Fort Hays State University tops the list at $42,795. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in Kansas?+

The average annual wage for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other in Kansas is $88,720 (median $75,790), across about 2,530 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program?+

The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…

What is the job outlook for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other?+

The national job outlook is about +1.8% growth with around 13,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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