2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Kansas

[Geological & Earth Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong geological & earth sciences education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for geological & earth sciences students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools in Kansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the geological & earth sciences degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Geological & Earth Sciences Schools
Fort Hays State University tops our 2026 list of the best value geological & earth sciences schools in Kansas. Located in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,923, while out-of-state students pay about $17,741. Students borrow a median of $23,875 to complete the geological & earth sciences program here. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from Fort Hays State University generally make around $43,421. Set against $23,875 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Kansas one of the best values for geological & earth sciences. Located in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,102 in tuition and fees, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates of University Of Kansas earn a median of $41,626 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Students looking for strong value in geological & earth sciences will find it at Kansas State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, compared with $28,568 for out-of-state students. Geological & Earth Sciences graduates carry a median of $23,546 in student loans. Soon after graduation, geological & earth sciences degree recipients from Kansas State University generally make around $51,543. Set against $23,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.