Kansas Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This guide to teaching schools in Kansas is designed to provide key information to aspiring teachers looking for the best program for their needs. There are many teacher preparation programs in the state that prepare students to become teachers or advance in a current educator career. On this page, we have lists of top-rated teaching programs, a table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. Whether you are a first-time student or looking to change careers, this guide should help you find the best program that suits your individual career goals.

Quick Facts

• There are 37 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Kansas.¹
• 13 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
• 27 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
• 18 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
• No schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.²
• No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.³
• 2 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁴
• 9 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁵
• 22 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Kansas

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019

• University of Kansas (#18 tie)
• Kansas State University (#118 tie)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Pittsburg State University (#25 tie)
• University of Kansas (#34 tie)
• Kansas State University (#46 tie)
• Fort Hays State University (#54 tie)
• Friends University (#115 tie)
• Newman University (#154 tie)
• Southwestern College (#159 tie)
• Wichita State University (#169 tie)
• Baker University (#180 tie)

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Kansas

Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Kansas according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Kansas State Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2017-2018 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

University of Kansas: Located in Lawrence Kansas, the University of Kansas is known for its excellent reputation of training world-class educators in a variety of fields. In fact, US News & World Report regularly ranks the University of Kansas School of Education among the top public universities. The School of Education was founded in 1900 consists of the departments of Curriculum and Teaching, Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, Health, Sport and Exercise Studies, Psychology & Research in Education and Special Education. The School of Education confers degrees at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels for students interested in working in the field of education. The School of Education is one of the largest on the campus and serves thousands of undergrad and graduate students. The overarching mission of the college is to train up future leaders in the field of education.

Wichita State University: Wichita State University’s College of Education serves both undergrads and graduate students in attaining their educational goals. The school has several departments including Counseling, Educational and School Psychology, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Leadership, Human Performance Studies, and Sport Management. The school is located in the largest urban center in the entire state, which means students have access to plenty of hands-on experiences that will assist them in learning about their major and future career. The Wichita State faculty believe in combining curriculum and theory with real-world didactic experiences that go far beyond surface learning. The School offers majors in Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Counseling Psychology, Special Education and much more. Students at the graduate level should contact the specific department to inquire about graduate admissions policies and requirements.

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Kansas

Baker University
618 Eighth St
Baldwin City, KS 66006-0065
(800) 873-4282
www.bakeru.edu

Benedictine College
1020 N 2nd St
Atchison, KS 66002-1499
(913) 367-5340
www.benedictine.edu

Bethany College-Lindsborg
335 E Swensson St
Lindsborg, KS 67456-1897
(785) 227-3311
www.bethanylb.edu

Butler Community College*
901 S Haverhill Rd
El Dorado, KS 67042-3280
(316) 321-2222
www.butlercc.edu

Cloud County Community College*
2221 Campus Dr
Concordia, KS 66901-1002
(785) 243-1435
www.cloud.edu

Emporia State University
1200 Commercial
Emporia, KS 66801-5087
(620) 341-1200
https://www.emporia.edu/

Student Review: “I feel that my teaching program prepared me for what I face now in my job. I liked that they focused on classroom management, which is one of the most difficult issues in teaching. I felt prepared with a few tools to build on when I received my first job. While in college, my advisor was very friendly and supportive. I never had a question that could not be answered by someone in the education department. I benefited from small class sizes. I was on a first name basis with many of my professors. The program was rigorous and overwhelming at times, but could always be accomplished, which prepared me for teaching. I did not like the final project, the teacher work sample, but now that I have been teaching for many years, I see the importance of it. I am a better teacher because of the time and effort that Emporia State University invested into me.” – Student at Emporia State University

Student Review: “Emporia State University was a great program for helping to prepare me for a career in teaching. I loved the overall structure of the program. We spent a number of classroom hours covering teaching strategies for diverse populations. The teachers had real-life public school teaching experience. Being a small school the one on one attention was extremely beneficial. If I had to pick an area to improve it would be offering more technology courses. With the world we live in I feel it is more important to learn strategies to reach the upcoming generation. There didn’t seem to be an emphasis on how to incorporate meeting the students where they are, (phones, social media, iPads, etc). I think it would have been helpful to practice how to effectively do a form of online learning.” – Student at Emporia State University

Fort Hays State University
600 Park St #1
Hays, KS 67601
(785) 628-4000
https://www.fhsu.edu/

Student Review: “I attended Fort Hays State University for three years as an online student. The flexibility, cost, accreditation, and course selections were the main reason why I chose them over anyone else. Just like any school, I had some teachers who were great with helping me and others that seemed to be almost too busy to lend a hand. Overall my experience was a good one. Even though I went back to school to get my degree in a field that I have already spent 8+ years in, the education still proved of value. I feel that I still learned a lot! When I go back to receive my masters I will definitely be putting Fort Hays on my list of possible choices.” -Durrell D., student at Fort Hays State University

Fort Scott Community College*
2108 S Horton
Fort Scott, KS 66701
(620) 223-2700
www.fortscott.edu

Friends University
2100 W University Ave
Wichita, KS 67213
(316) 295-5000

Highland Community College*
606 W Main
Highland, KS 66035-4165
(785) 442-6000

Johnson County Community College*
12345 College Blvd
Overland Park, KS 66210-1299
(913) 469-8500

Kansas State University
Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6250
www.k-state.edu

Labette Community College*
200 S 14th
Parsons, KS 67357-4201
(620) 421-6700
www.labette.edu

MidAmerica Nazarene University
2030 E College Way
Olathe, KS 66062-1899
(913) 782-3750
www.mnu.edu

Pittsburg State University
1701 S Broadway
Pittsburg, KS 66762
(620) 231-7000
https://www.pittstate.edu/

Student Review: “I loved being a math education major at Pittsburg State University. I met some amazing people and had great teachers. The math classes were challenging but not impossible. My education classes were helpful and fun. I think both departments adequately prepared me for teaching. One thing I really liked was a one hour credit that math education majors take their last semester. In this ‘class’ we were required to spend 30 hours at the school we would be student teaching at the next semester. Words can’t express how much this helped my student teaching experience. A lot of the other departments at Pittsburg State University didn’t have this class for their secondary education majors but I think they should. The only downside about Pittsburg State University is that the education department isn’t very prestigious. It’s a great university but I wonder how I’d be different if I was in a better education department.” -Jean C., student at Pittsburg State University

Seward County Community College and Area Technical School*
1801 N Kansas Ave
Liberal, KS 67901
(620) 624-1951
www.sccc.edu

Southwestern College
100 College St
Winfield, KS 67156-6224
(620) 229-6000
www.sckans.edu

Sterling College
125 W Cooper
Sterling, KS 67579
(620) 278-2173
www.sterling.edu

Tabor College
400 S Jefferson
Hillsboro, KS 67063-1799
(620) 947-3121

University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 864-2700
https://www.ku.edu/

Student Review: “I was a part of the University of Kansas’ teaching program for two years, and when I first began taking classes, I found them to be incredibly easy, but lacking a lot of substance in the sense that we talked about a lot of situations, experiences and issues a teacher would face, but never learned how exactly to handle them. I felt these classes coddled the students and didn’t challenge their beliefs or convictions as humans wanting to teach other humans. As I moved through the School of Education, my classes began to vary. I still had a lot of methodology classes that I thought babied the students and weren’t very challenging or interesting, but educational philosophy classes were also offered that were incredibly engaging and challenged how the students thought. I found the experience with the class in the School of Education to be very hit or miss, but when it came to the faculty and staff, I felt the opposite. Those working in and for the School of Education at the University of Kansas are knowledgeable about their building and job, as well as overly helpful and accommodating to students. Eventually, I switched degrees when I determined that I did not want to complete a degree with the School of Education in order to teach.” -Casey B., student at University of Kansas

Washburn University
1700 SW College Ave
Topeka, KS 66621-0001
(785) 670-1010

Wichita State University
1845 Fairmount
Wichita, KS 67260-0124
(316) 978-3456
https://www.wichita.edu/

Student Review: “The Wichita State University teacher training program was a great program that prepared me for life as a teacher. The courses were challenging but the professors were supportive. Each semester involved actual classroom time which is great for a student teacher – having real-world experience really helps prepare you for student teaching. The downside of this is that the time demands really reduce your ability to work – so it is a hard program for adults with bills to pay. Overall though the experience is really beneficial. The program also covers help with all the state requirements to become a teacher. The education classes are all taught by enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff with real-life experience in public schools. As you advance through the course you gradually build on past experiences and knowledge until finally, you complete a full semester internship in the classroom. It is a great program.” -Student at Wichita State University

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx