2023 Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas
Identifying High-Quality Schools With More Affordable Pricing
When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamps that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Course Advisor has created its Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas ranking. Our analysis looked at 36 schools in Kansas to see which associate degree programs offered the best value experiences for students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.
This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. More specifically, we discount our quality score by the published tuition and fees charged by a school. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The value is determined by how much quality your dollar buys.
For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. Average in-state tuition and fees are used for our statewide rankings.
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Top Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Haskell Indian Nations University the best value school in Kansas for students working on their associate degree. Located in Lawrence, Kansas, the very small public school handed out 66 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Haskell are $0 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $5,347 in loans while pursuing their degree.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means Johnson County Community College is a great place for students working on their associate degree who want the most bang for their educational buck. Overland Park, Kansas is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,705 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at JCCC are $5,352 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $15,979 in student loans.
JCCC does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 84% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, JCCC is ranked #3 for overall quality in Kansas.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cowley County Community College. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. Cowley College is a small public school situated in Arkansas City, Kansas. It awarded 472 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Cowley College are $5,190 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $12,642 in student loans.
Cowley College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2019-2020 about 67% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
On top of its placing in our value ranking, Cowley College also did well on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in this analysis.
Out of the 36 schools in Kansas that were part of this year’s value ranking, Highland Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Highland Community College is located in Highland, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 229 associate degrees to qualified students.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Highland Community College are $3,570 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $15,743 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Highland Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 51% took at least some of their classes online.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Garden City Community College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. Garden City Community College is a small public school located in Garden City, Kansas that handed out 267 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Garden City Community College are $4,020 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,301 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Garden City Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 67% took at least some of their classes online.
Kansas City Kansas Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. This small public school is located in Kansas City, Kansas, and it awarded 474 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Kansas City Kansas Community College are $6,510 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $20,612 in student loans.
Kansas City Kansas Community College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 43% took at least some of their classes online.
Barton County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Great Bend, Kansas is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 593 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Barton Community College are $4,544 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $16,125 in student loans.
Barton Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 78% took at least some of their classes online.
Labette Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. Located in Parsons, Kansas, the small public school awarded 141 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Labette Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,288 in tuition and fees each year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,135 in student loans.
Online courses are available at Labette Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 66% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #9, Hutchinson Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. Located in Hutchinson, Kansas, the medium-sized public school awarded 784 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Hutchinson Community College are $4,470 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,221 in student loans.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Hutchinson Community College. In 2019-2020 about 45% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Cloud County Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #10 on the list. Located in Concordia, Kansas, the small public school handed out 268 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Cloud County Community College are $3,570 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,410 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Cloud County Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 39% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Coffeyville Community College landed the #11 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree programs. Located in Coffeyville, Kansas, the small public school awarded 223 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Coffeyville Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,608 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $9,092 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Coffeyville Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 34% took at least some of their classes online.
Colby Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Located in Colby, Kansas, the small public school awarded 231 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Colby Community College are $5,553 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $16,009 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Colby Community College. During the 2019-2020 year, about 55% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #13, Fort Scott Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. FSCC is a small public school situated in Fort Scott, Kansas. It awarded 199 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at FSCC are $3,510 a year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $16,139 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at FSCC. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 36% took at least some of their classes online.
Seward County Community College ranked #14 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. SCCC is located in Liberal, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 196 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at SCCC are $4,832 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $12,565 in loans while pursuing their degree.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at SCCC. In fact, around 23% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.
Fort Hays State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas ranking. FHSU is located in Hays, Kansas and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 96 associate degrees to qualified students.
FHSU undergraduate students pay an average of $15,870 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $23,174 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at FHSU. In 2019-2020 about 48% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
FHSU excels when it comes to quality. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list.
With a ranking of #16, Butler Community College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. This medium-sized public school is located in El Dorado, Kansas, and it awarded 1,088 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Butler CC are $5,976 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $19,517 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at Butler CC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 35% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Neosho County Community College came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas ranking. Neosho County Community College is a small public school located in Chanute, Kansas that handed out 340 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Neosho County Community College undergraduate students pay an average of $4,000 in tuition and fees each year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $14,072 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Neosho County Community College does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 42% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Independence Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for students to get an associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Independence, Kansas is the setting for this very small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 115 students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Independence Community College are $4,650 per year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $8,614 in student loans.
One thing to take note of is that Independence Community College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 41% took at least some of their classes online.
With a ranking of #19, Flint Hills Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. Flint Hills Technical College is a small public school located in Emporia, Kansas that handed out 105 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Flint Hills Technical College are $7,032 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $14,869 in student loans.
Flint Hills Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 38% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Flint Hills Technical College not only placed well in our value ranking, but it is also #5 on our Best Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list.
Dodge City Community College landed the #20 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree programs. Dodge City Community College is located in Dodge City, Kansas and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 118 associate degrees to qualified students.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Dodge City Community College are $4,830 a year. On average, associate degree students take out $10,121 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Dodge City Community College. In 2019-2020 about 51% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #21, Grantham University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. Located in Lenexa, Kansas, the medium-sized private for-profit school awarded 568 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Grantham University are $8,280 per year. On average, associate degree students take out $23,791 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, Grantham University is an excellent choice, since the school is online.
Pittsburg State University ranked #22 on this year’s Best Value Associate Degree Schools in Kansas list. Pittsburg State University is a medium-sized public school located in Pittsburg, Kansas that handed out 18 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Pitt State are $19,088 a year.
One thing to take note of is that Pitt State does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 46% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Wichita State University landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best value associate degree programs. Located in Wichita, Kansas, the fairly large public school handed out 96 associate degree awards in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WSU are $18,165 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $23,439 in student loans.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since WSU does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 57% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
With a ranking of #24, Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. WSU Tech is a public institution located in Wichita, Kansas. The school has a small population, and it awarded 236 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at WSU Tech are $6,875 a year. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $21,190 in student loans.
WSU Tech does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 48% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.
Read full report on Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
With a ranking of #24, Washburn University did quite well on this year’s best value schools for students working on their associate degree. This medium-sized public school is located in Topeka, Kansas, and it awarded 241 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at Washburn University are $19,876 per year. Associate Degree recipients from this school accumulate an average of $22,718 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Washburn University. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.
Best Value Associate Degree Schools in the Plains States Region
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Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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