Compare NCLEX pass rates, tuition, program formats, and outcomes at every Kansas nursing school.
In Kansas, 29 accredited nursing programs, from associate degrees at community colleges to BSNs at public universities, feed a healthcare system grappling with a persistent nursing shortage. Recent hospital data showed 20% of RN positions vacant statewide. That pressure elevates the importance of choosing a program with strong NCLEX pass rates, proper accreditation, and manageable debt. Most schools keep instruction in-person, but a few offer hybrid formats. Start at a low-cost technical college or pursue a four-year degree: each decision locks in different earnings ceilings and career mobility. With median earnings a decade after enrollment ranging from $36,000 to over $61,000, the math matters.
These are the top 10 nursing schools and programs in Kansas for 2026, spanning community college ADN pathways and university BSN options. The cards below highlight net price, institution-wide graduation rates, median earnings, and delivery format. City and campus details are provided for each entry.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
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| #1 | Fort Hays Tech North Central | Beloit, KS | $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) | Rural Kansas students seeking affordable campus ADN | |
This Beloit technical college ranks first for its low effective net price, reasonable ADN pathway, and strong completion signals. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 78%, and former students report median earnings near $46,900. The 18-month ADN is campus-based, ACEN-accredited, and includes clinical rotations at partner sites such as Hays Medical Center.
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| #2 | Salina Area Technical College | Salina, KS | ~$6,000/yr (est.) | Working LPNs advancing through campus bridge | |
Salina Tech's LPN-to-ADN bridge is a cost standout, with an effective net price around $6,500 and a reported 100% job placement rate. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 68%, and median earnings for former students sit near $42,200. The two-year, campus-based pathway includes simulations and clinical rotations across Salina-area healthcare settings.
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| #3 | Manhattan Area Technical College | Manhattan, KS | ~$10,000/yr (est.) | First-time students wanting small clinical cohorts | |
Manhattan Tech's ADN combines selective small cohorts (about 24 students) with strong clinical partnerships and a reported 96% licensure pass rate. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 74%, and former students report median earnings near $51,900. The 62-credit, campus-based program starts in August and January, with LPN bridge options and hands-on nursing lab work.
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| #4 | University of Kansas | Lawrence, KS | $12,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) | ||
KU's BSN is the state's flagship university track, offered in Kansas City and Salina with a strong liberal arts foundation and clinical partnerships. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 69%, and median earnings for former students are around $61,900. The two-year upper-division program requires about 60 prerequisite credits and prepares graduates for leadership roles in Kansas and beyond. For students considering advanced study, KU is the only Kansas university with a nursing Ph.D. pathway.
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| #5 | Cloud County Community College | Concordia, KS | $12,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
Cloud County's two-year ADN is one of the more affordable rural options, with in-district tuition around $3,540 and an effective net price near $11,700. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 55%, and median earnings for former students are around $39,900. The campus-based program requires CNA certification for the traditional track and includes a BSN partnership pathway.
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| #6 | Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg, KS | $16,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
Pitt State's BSN stands out for its state-of-the-art simulation hospital, CCNE accreditation, and a 97.6% retention rate. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 57%, and median earnings for former students are near $50,600. The three-year campus program offers a Guaranteed Nursing Pathway and in-state tuition for students from 32 states through the Gorilla Advantage. CCNE accredited
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| #7 | Hesston College | Hesston, KS | ~$26,000/yr (est.) | ||
Hesston's private BSN pairs cutting-edge simulation with personalized faculty support and an LPN-to-BSN pathway. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 61%, and median earnings for former students are around $47,500. The campus program reports a perfect job placement record and first-time NCLEX pass rates well above the national average. CCNE accredited
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| #8 | Hutchinson Community College | Hutchinson, KS | ~$7,000/yr (est.) | ||
Hutchinson's ADN offers three entry paths: traditional, LPN-to-RN, and a paramedic/LPN-to-RN online option, although the core program is face-to-face and full-time. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 53%, and median earnings for former students are near $43,500. The program includes a University of Kansas partnership for concurrent ADN/BSN enrollment and clinical shifts of 8, 10, or 12 hours.
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| #9 | Garden City Community College | Garden City, KS | ~$8,000/yr (est.) | ||
Garden City's ADN keeps cohorts to 40 students and maintains a 10:1 student-faculty ratio in clinical settings. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 50%, and median earnings for former students are around $41,700. The ACEN-accredited, campus-based program has strong licensing pass rates and a dedicated LPN-to-RN pathway. ACEN accredited | |||||
| #10 | Seward County Community College | Liberal, KS | $4,000 – $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
Seward County's ADN is designed as a next step for licensed practical nurses, admitting just 30 students each August. Schools offering this program have graduation rates of about 50%, and median earnings for former students are near $41,400. The campus-based, ACEN-accredited program also supports completion of practical nursing and ADN credentials in sequence. ACEN accredited
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Sticker price is rarely what nursing students pay. After federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships, the net price, the actual amount families cover, can be thousands less than published tuition. All ten schools below are public community and technical colleges, which nearly always beat private alternatives on cost, often leaving graduates with significantly less debt.
| School | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coffeyville Community College | $3,600 | $4,680 | $4,957 |
| Fort Scott Community College | $3,390 | $3,840 | $5,586 |
| Labette Community College | $4,064 | $4,864 | $5,939 |
| Salina Area Technical College | $7,128 | $7,128 | $6,468 |
| Seward County Community College | $4,032 | $5,408 | $6,717 |
| Colby Community College | $4,140 | $5,830 | $7,886 |
| Garden City Community College | $3,690 | $4,320 | $8,244 |
| Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology | $7,238 | $7,238 | $8,805 |
| Neosho County Community College | $5,780 | $5,780 | $10,271 |
| Highland Community College | $4,080 | $4,080 | $10,454 |
The University of Kansas Medical Center posted a 98.39% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate in 2024, leading all BSN programs in the state.1 NCLEX performance is one of the clearest signals of how well a nursing school prepares its graduates for licensure and clinical practice.
The following Kansas BSN programs are ranked by their most recent first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates, based on 2024 data from the Kansas State Board of Nursing for all schools except Emporia State University, which reports its own outcomes.1
Several programs exceed a 95% first-time pass rate, indicating strong curricula and clinical preparation. Even the lowest-scoring BSN program on this list sits close to the national average, so there is no single outlier that signals a program to avoid, but the differences are worth noting when comparing schools.
The statewide first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate for all Kansas nursing programs was 94.21% in 2024, and nationally, the first-time pass rate was 91.92%.1 Kansas BSN graduates collectively perform well above the U.S. benchmark, which reflects well on the state's nursing education infrastructure. When a school's rate falls below the state average, it can be a prompt to ask about academic support, remediation policies, and licensure exam preparation resources.
NCLEX pass rates are a proxy for program quality because they measure the endpoint of a nursing school's entire curriculum and clinical training sequence. A consistently high first-time pass rate suggests that the program aligns well with the NCLEX test plan, that faculty are effectively teaching critical thinking and patient safety, and that students are graduating ready to enter practice.
For prospective students, these rates also have direct financial and career implications. Failing the NCLEX on the first attempt means additional exam fees, delayed licensure, and postponed job offers. Many employers track pass rates when recruiting new graduates, so attending a school with a strong record can give candidates an edge in the job market. Over time, state boards of nursing and accreditation bodies use pass-rate thresholds to monitor program viability; programs that dip too low risk being placed on probation or losing approval. Because Kansas Board of Regents schools and private colleges both appear on this list, applicants can weigh academic reputation, cost, and location alongside NCLEX data to make a well-rounded decision.
Checking NCLEX performance should be one part of the selection process, not the sole factor, but ignoring it means overlooking a transparent, publicly reported outcome that captures how well a school fulfills its core promise: preparing nurses who can pass the exam and launch their careers.
Accreditation is the invisible force that determines whether your nursing degree will open doors to advanced practice or quietly close them before you apply. In Kansas, most BSN programs hold either CCNE or ACEN accreditation, and understanding the difference helps you map a career path without unexpected roadblocks.
A search for ccne accredited nursing programs Kansas reveals that the state's largest public universities predominantly hold CCNE accreditation. For example, the University of Kansas School of Nursing is fully CCNE-accredited.1 Many other four-year colleges in the state also maintain CCNE recognition for their BSN tracks, while a smaller number carry ACEN accreditation. If a program carries only KSBN approval, weigh the potential career implications carefully. At the time of writing, no Kansas BSN program has provisional or candidacy accreditation status. Always verify directly with the school or accrediting body's website.
Before enrolling, check each program's accreditation status on the Kansas Nursing Schools directory or through the official CCNE and ACEN websites. A few extra minutes of verification can prevent years of professional friction.
Kansas nursing education is overwhelmingly campus-based, and that is a strength for most students. Nearly every program ranked here is delivered on campus. A small group offers hybrid instruction, and no program in this set is fully online.
Campus programs at top nursing schools bundle the hardest part of nursing school: clinical placements. Schools such as Pittsburg State, Emporia State, Washburn, Baker, and Kansas Wesleyan arrange hospital partnerships for you, so you are not cold-calling facilities to find preceptors. The tradeoff is rigid scheduling and the need to live near campus.
Hybrid options exist at Butler Community College (ADN, El Dorado), Rasmussen University in Topeka (ADN), and Donnelly College in Kansas City (BSN). Butler blends online and in-person instruction. Rasmussen combines online coursework, on-campus labs, and field experience. Donnelly's BSN is one of the RN to BSN programs in Kansas for people who already hold an ADN and an active RN license, with evening classes and no Friday sessions. For working students, this middle ground usually beats both extremes: flexible coursework without handing you the whole burden of securing clinical sites.
If relocating is not an option, geography matters more than format.
A fully online program would still require you to find local clinical sites, so confirm placement support directly with any school before you apply.
Program-level earnings for Kansas nursing schools are not yet available for early career benchmarks. The most recent metric reported is median earnings 10 years after entering college. Among the Kansas BSN programs tracked, Baker University graduates have the highest median earnings.
Kansas nursing graduates see strong financial returns, particularly from associate degree programs that launch RN careers with modest debt. For the ten programs below, the median earnings ten years after enrollment range from about $35,000 to over $47,000, while median federal loan debt stays between $6,500 and $10,000. That gap creates ROI ratios worth examining.
A simple way to gauge value is to compare median graduate debt to median earnings. When earnings outpace debt, graduates can cover loans quickly. Among Kansas ADN programs: - Garden City Community College shows a 6.4 ROI ratio, with median debt of $6,500 and earnings of $41,704. - Seward County Community College follows at 6.38, with similar debt and $41,445 in earnings. - Salina Area Technical College hits a 6.03 ratio on $7,000 debt and $42,175 earnings. - At the lower end, Coffeyville Community College still delivers a 4.35 ratio, though its earnings of $35,246 and debt of $8,103 lag peers. Even the weakest ratio here is solid. Every dollar borrowed yields at least $4.30 in future annual earnings.
Kansas registered nurses earn a median annual wage of $86,620, slightly below the national median of $93,6001. While program-completer earnings figures capture early-to-mid-career earnings (not peak earnings), they align with the state's broader nursing wage trajectory. Graduates from schools like North Central Kansas Technical College, with median earnings of $46,928 a decade out, are likely moving toward the state median as they gain experience and credentials.
Nationally, RN employment is projected to grow 5% from 2024 to 2034, adding roughly 197,000 positions.1 Kansas's aging population and healthcare expansion point to similar demand, preserving upward pressure on wages and job availability for new grads.
While earnings-to-debt ratios spotlight payoff speed, cost-conscious students should focus on net price (what you actually pay after grants and scholarships). For example, Garden City Community College's effective net price is $8,244, far below the debt figure. Lower net price means less borrowing and an even faster ROI. Compare net prices across programs to find the best personal fit.
In 2021, Kansas hospitals reported that one in five registered nurse positions was unfilled, a 20% vacancy rate signaling a critical workforce gap. The Kansas Hospital Association tracked this shortfall as demand for nurses outpaced supply statewide.
Nursing education in Kansas is evolving as healthcare systems expand their clinical training partnerships to meet the growing demand for skilled nurses. Choosing the right program means weighing accreditation, NCLEX outcomes, cost, clinical opportunities, and program format. Here’s how to break down the decision.
Start with accreditation. All Kansas nursing programs should hold approval from the Kansas State Board of Nursing, but national accreditation from ACEN or CCNE signals a higher standard of quality and is often required for graduate programs. For example, the University of Kansas School of Nursing, ranked among the top 10% of programs nationally, carries CCNE accreditation. Next, review NCLEX pass rates. These rates, published by the state board, reveal how well a school prepares students for licensure. Aim for schools with consistent first-time pass rates above the national average. While institutional data can hint at outcomes, note that program-specific NCLEX results offer the most direct evidence.
Net price, what you actually pay after grants and scholarships, varies dramatically across Kansas. According to the latest federal data, the average net price at public institutions ranges from under $7,000 at Salina Area Technical College to over $18,000 at the University of Kansas. Keep in mind these are institution-wide medians, not nursing-specific figures, but they help gauge affordability. Lower-cost options often include community colleges like Seward County Community College (net price $6,717) or North Central Kansas Technical College ($12,393), offering associate degree programs with strong value.
Equally critical are clinical placement partnerships. The quality and quantity of hands-on training sites shape your readiness. Major Kansas health systems that partner with nursing schools include Stormont Vail Health in Topeka, Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, AdventHealth in Shawnee Mission, and The University of Kansas Health System. Wichita State University, the state’s largest nursing program1, maintains extensive clinical rotations across these networks. When visiting programs, ask how many hours you’ll spend in these settings and the variety of specialties available.
Admission selectivity varies. Institutional admission rates suggest that many Kansas universities are accessible, and the University of Kansas admits about 93% of applicants overall, and Pittsburg State admits roughly 89%, but nursing programs often impose additional prerequisites and competitive entry. Expect to complete courses in anatomy, microbiology, and psychology, and maintain a minimum GPA. Some schools require TEAS or HESI entrance exams.
If cost is a concern, explore ADN-to-BSN transfer pathways. Many community colleges, including those in the data slice, have articulation agreements with four-year universities. Completing an associate degree first can cut total costs significantly while still leading to a BSN and expanded career opportunities.
By aligning your priorities with the data, you’ll find a Kansas nursing school that fits your goals and budget.
Choosing a nursing program in Kansas raises many questions about quality, cost, and outcomes. Below, we answer common queries to help you navigate the options, drawing on data from institutional reports and national rankings.
Not every good fit rises to the top of a ranking. The Kansas schools below are worth a look if what matters most to you is staying close to home, keeping costs down, finding a hybrid or evening path, or entering nursing through an associate degree. They are grouped by region so you can browse what is nearby.
