2026 Best Value History Schools in Kansas

[History](/majors/history/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong history education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 25 schools to find the best return on investment for history students.
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2026 Best Value History Schools in Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value History Schools
For return on investment in history, no school beat Fort Hays State University this year. Fort Hays State University is a large public school located in the town of Hays. In-state tuition and fees average $5,923, while out-of-state students pay about $17,741. History graduates carry a median of $25,967 in student loans. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Fort Hays State University generally make around $49,775. That is a strong return on a $25,967 median debt. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Washburn University, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Topeka, Washburn University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,945, compared with $20,949 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $21,175 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Washburn University generally make around $50,955. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at University Of Kansas, which ranked #3. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. History graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. History graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $42,451 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in history will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #4. Kansas State University is a very large public school located in the city of Manhattan. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Students borrow a median of $19,539 to complete the history program here. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $33,744. Set against $19,539 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #5 makes Pittsburg State University one of the best values for history. Pittsburg State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pittsburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,400, while out-of-state students pay about $19,744. Typical student debt for history graduates is $22,669. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Pittsburg State University generally make around $50,003. That is a strong return on a $22,669 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 25 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.