Kansas Nursing Schools And Programs

Demand for nurses in Kansas is high, and because Kansas belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), a license earned here can be a multistate license that lets you practice across compact states. This guide covers the top accredited programs, what nurses earn, and the exact steps to a Kansas license.

The Best Nursing Schools in Kansas

Kansas has more than 40 nursing programs offering an associate degree in nursing (ADN), a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), or a master of science in nursing (MSN). The schools below are accredited and ranked on academic quality, affordability, reputation, and program offerings. Pass rates and tuition change, so confirm current figures with each school.

Flint Hills Technical College leads the list. Its practical nursing program awards a technical certificate and qualifies graduates for the NCLEX-PN and LPN licensure, with classroom, clinical, and lab components.

• Programs: Practical nursing certificate
• Campus: Emporia, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Tuition: $11,824 per program
• Admission: Two professional references; high school or GED and college transcripts; college-level anatomy and physiology; TEAS scores; active certified nurse aide status
• Time commitment: 11 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 95% first-time

Emporia State University offers an onsite BSN with entry options for practical and registered nurses, plus an online master's with tracks in healthcare education and management.

• Programs: BSN; MSN
• Campus: Emporia, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: Undergraduate $3,467-$4,786 per semester in-state and neighboring states, $7,425 all other states; MSN $400 per credit hour
• Admission: BSN, accredited high school graduation, 2.25 GPA or test scores (21 ACT, 1060 SAT); MSN, BSN, RN license, 3.0 cumulative GPA or 2.5 in last 60 hours
• Time commitment: 12-24 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 97.4% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $52,941 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Coffeyville Community College students earn LPN certification and take the NCLEX-PN in year one, then pursue an RN associate degree in years two and three. CCC holds transfer agreements with four-year Kansas BSN programs.

• Programs: LPN certificate; ADN
• Campus: Coffeyville, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Tuition: $150-$167 per credit hour in-state and contiguous counties; $251 out-of-state
• Admission: Certified nurse aide credential for LPN entry; LPN or Kansas paramedic license for RN entry
• Time commitment: 36 months for both LPN and RN
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 90% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $44,170 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Newman University awards a traditional BSN, an LPN-to-BSN bridge, and a doctorate in nurse anesthesia, with clinical rotations in Wichita and Oklahoma City.

• Programs: BSN; LPN-to-BSN; doctor of nurse anesthesia
• Campus: Wichita, Kansas
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
• Tuition: $1,080 per credit hour undergraduate
• Admission: BSN, prerequisite coursework, 2.85 GPA, CPR certification (LPN license for the bridge); DNAP, BSN, 3.0 GPA, prerequisite statistics, RN license and certifications, GRE scores, one to two years of critical care experience
• Time commitment: 24-36 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 86.8% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $50,287 for bachelor's graduates, $160,605 for master's graduates (College Scorecard)

Seward County Community College runs a 10-month practical nursing program followed by a two-year ADN. You can complete one or both; ADN applicants must be practical nursing graduates.

• Programs: Practical nursing certificate; associate in applied science in nursing (ADN)
• Campus: Liberal, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); ADN: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $71 per credit hour in-county; $72 in-state; $94 border state; $109 out-of-state
• Admission: Three references; college transcripts; ACT scores or beginning algebra coursework; TEAS exam scores
• Time commitment: 10 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 74.1% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $52,107 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Garden City Community College awards a practical nursing certificate and an ADN completion track for practical nursing graduates, preparing students for the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN.

• Programs: Practical nursing certificate; ADN (LPN-to-RN)
• Campus: Garden City, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); ADN: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $61 per credit hour in-county; $63 in-state; $77 border state; $82 out-of-state
• Admission: Placement testing; high school diploma or GED; college transcript; prerequisites; 2.5 GPA; nurse aide certification for practical nursing, LPN license for ADN
• Time commitment: 12 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 74.2% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $49,270 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

Baker University offers bachelor's and master's nursing degrees, including an ADN-to-MSN bridge. The BSN pairs classroom work with clinical immersions; MSN students study online and can add post-master's certificates.

• Programs: MSN; ADN-to-MSN; BSN
• Campus: Baldwin City, Kansas
• Type: Private
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Tuition: BSN $10,659 per semester full-time, $686 per credit hour part-time; MSN $480 per credit hour; ADN-to-MSN $100 per credit hour
• Admission: BSN, high school diploma, 2.7 GPA, prerequisites; MSN, BSN (ADN for the bridge), RN license, 3.0 GPA, prerequisites
• Time commitment: 36 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 97.4% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $57,168 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Pittsburg State University offers a traditional BSN, an RN-to-BSN bridge, an MSN with an education emphasis, and bachelor's- or master's-to-doctorate tracks, with RN bridge, MSN, and DNP courses fully or partly online.

• Programs: BSN; RN-to-BSN; MSN; BSN-to-DNP; MSN-to-DNP
• Campus: Pittsburg, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Tuition: Undergraduate $3,872 per semester in-state, $9,544 out-of-state; DNP $521 per credit hour; online $282 per credit hour undergraduate, $371 graduate
• Admission: BSN, TEAS scores, prerequisites, three references, 3.0 GPA, ACT or SAT scores, nurse aide and CPR certification (RN license for RN-to-BSN); MSN/DNP, nursing degree, 3.0-3.5 GPA, three references, prerequisites, RN/APRN license and employment, plus writing samples and admission testing depending on track
• Time commitment: 12-24 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 91% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $54,586 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

Hutchinson Community College offers an LPN certificate and an ADN with pre-licensure RN, LPN-to-RN (online or onsite), and paramedic-to-RN online tracks, plus transfer relationships with Kansas BSN programs.

• Programs: LPN certificate; ADN (LPN-to-RN and paramedic-to-RN)
• Campus: Hutchinson, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Tuition: $118 per credit hour in-state; $149 out-of-state
• Admission: LPN, transcripts, prerequisites, placement test results, nursing assistant certification and two years of experience; ADN, Kaplan admission exam, prerequisites at "C" or higher, CPR certification, high school transcripts, 2.0 GPA; bridge tracks require the relevant license or certification plus recent graduation or 1,000 work hours
• Time commitment: 12 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 83.1% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $47,260 for associate graduates (College Scorecard)

University of Kansas and KU Medical Center train nurses at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, with an online RN-to-BSN bridge and partnerships that place associate and bachelor's programs on community college campuses.

• Programs: BSN; RN-to-BSN; MSN; doctor of nursing practice; Ph.D.
• Campus: Lawrence, Kansas
• Type: Public
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Tuition: BSN $342 per credit hour in-state and online, $891 out-of-state; graduate $421 in-state and online, $990 out-of-state
• Admission: BSN, college transcripts, prerequisites at 2.5 GPA, three references, resume (RN license for RN-to-BSN); MSN, BSN, 3.0 GPA, RN license and preferred clinical year, graduate statistics; DNP and Ph.D., advanced nursing degree, references, RN license, graduate statistics, and track-specific experience
• Time commitment: 12-24 months
• NCLEX-RN pass rate: 83.7% first-time
• Median earnings two years out: $58,350 for bachelor's graduates (College Scorecard)

How to Choose a Nursing Program in Kansas

With this many options, weigh cost and financial aid, graduation and acceptance rates, and the NCLEX-RN pass rate, which signals how well a program prepares graduates to practice. Check clinical placement too, especially for online programs where local placement matters most. Every program in this guide is accredited.

Why Become a Nurse in Kansas

Kansas employs roughly 31,120 registered nurses, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Because Kansas is an NLC state, graduates here qualify for a multistate license after passing the NCLEX-RN. The state's cost of living runs well below the national average, and in-state tuition is modest: ADN programs roughly $3,000-$6,000 and BSN programs roughly $6,000-$11,000 at most schools.

Salary and Job Outlook for Nurses in Kansas

The average RN salary in Kansas is about $76,240 a year, below the national average but stretched by a low cost of living. Nurse practitioner pay runs higher, well into six figures. RN employment is projected to keep growing, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects a surplus of 12,600 RNs in Kansas by 2030, though that estimate predates recent retirements and departures from the field.

Despite the rural reputation, nearly half of Kansans live in urban areas, where pay and cost of living both run higher. The largest cities host academic medical centers, including the University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City.

Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Kansas RNs

Metro area	Median RN salary
Topeka	$67,480
Lawrence	$61,680
Manhattan	$60,220
Wichita	$59,480

Steps to Becoming a Nurse in Kansas

Becoming an RN in Kansas means graduating from nursing school, passing the NCLEX-RN, and clearing a criminal background check. APRNs follow the same path at the graduate level. The Kansas Board of Nursing requires a fingerprint-based background check.

RN Requirements

Earn an ADN or BSN. Graduating from a Kansas nursing school makes you eligible for licensure by examination. A single-state license costs $100 and a multistate license costs $125. Add the $200 NCLEX-RN fee and a $48 background check. RNs need at least 30 continuing education hours every two years to renew.

APRN Requirements

An APRN license requires an MSN or DNP, a current unencumbered RN license, and a background check ($48). The licensing fee is $50, plus the appropriate board certification. Kansas grants NPs reduced-practice authority, meaning they practice in partnership with a physician. Renewal requires 30 continuing education hours every two years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take? Roughly two years for an ADN or four for a BSN. The BSN is the stronger degree if you want a senior role or plan to earn an MSN. License processing generally runs six to eight weeks depending on volume.

What are the attrition rates? In 2019, Kansas BSN programs reported a 12% attrition rate and ADN programs 19%. If you start struggling, talk to your advisor early; catching up gets harder the longer you wait.

How long is a Kansas license valid? Two years. It expires the last day of your birth month, in odd or even years. Finish your continuing education before you renew. You can only renew an active license, though a lapsed one can be reinstated.