There are 81 colleges in Kansas - 36 public and 45 private schools. At Kansas colleges, over the past decade, the Cost of Attendance (COA)—covering tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and living expenses—has sharply increased, making higher education less affordable for many students and families.
Kansas Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Kansas colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 26.90%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 27.38%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $38,887 when living on campus and $40,749 when living off campus.
Kansas Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
28.25% (from $7,101 to $9,107) |
$9,107 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
20.05% (from $18,099 to $21,728) |
$21,728 |
| Private Colleges |
50.59% (from $18,602 to $28,013) |
$28,013 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 20.05%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 22.96% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Kansas colleges, living costs increased by 41.66% for on-campus and 41.33% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $16,030 (on-campus) and $17,892 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-8.21%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,129.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 26.90% when living on campus and 27.38% when living off campus at Kansas Colleges.
In private Kansas Colleges, the COA has increase by 45.02% (on-campus) and 44.76% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $38,887 when a student lives on campus and $40,749 when living off campus at Kansas Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Kansas Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Kansas Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$19,647 | $30,645 | $31,148 | $20,991 | $31,989 | $32,492 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$20,491
4.30% | $32,229
5.17% | $32,683
4.93% | $21,644
3.11% | $33,382
4.35% | $33,836
4.14% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$21,113
3.04% | $33,180
2.95% | $34,121
4.40% | $21,448
-0.91% | $33,515
0.40% | $34,456
1.83% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$21,636
2.48% | $33,991
2.44% | $34,691
1.67% | $22,241
3.70% | $34,596
3.23% | $35,296
2.44% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$22,367
3.38% | $34,890
2.64% | $35,868
3.39% | $23,292
4.73% | $35,815
3.52% | $36,793
4.24% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$22,655
1.29% | $35,389
1.43% | $37,947
5.80% | $23,709
1.79% | $36,443
1.75% | $39,001
6.00% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$23,220
2.49% | $35,078
-0.88% | $39,029
2.85% | $24,293
2.46% | $36,151
-0.80% | $40,102
2.82% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$23,777
2.40% | $33,218
-5.30% | $39,694
1.70% | $25,254
3.96% | $34,695
-4.03% | $41,171
2.67% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$25,284
6.34% | $35,078
5.60% | $43,891
10.57% | $26,330
4.26% | $36,124
4.12% | $44,937
9.15% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$26,266
3.88% | $38,887
10.86% | $45,172
2.92% | $28,128
6.83% | $40,749
12.80% | $47,034
4.67% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Kansas Colleges is $10,335 for Kansas residents and $22,956 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $29,364.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $10,707 for Kansas residents and $21,624 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $12,686.
The tuition & fees has increased 20.05% for undergraduate programs and 22.96% for graduate programs at Kansas Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Kansas Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,101 | $18,099 | $18,602 | $7,270 | $16,557 | $10,682 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$7,649
7.72% | $19,387
7.12% | $19,841
6.66% | $7,857
8.07% | $17,825
7.66% | $10,426
-2.40% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$7,895
3.22% | $19,962
2.97% | $20,903
5.35% | $8,192
4.26% | $18,439
3.44% | $11,180
7.23% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,114
2.77% | $20,469
2.54% | $21,169
1.27% | $8,413
2.70% | $18,887
2.43% | $11,487
2.75% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,250
1.68% | $20,773
1.49% | $21,751
2.75% | $8,561
1.76% | $19,296
2.17% | $11,063
-3.69% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,295
0.55% | $21,029
1.23% | $23,587
8.44% | $8,588
0.32% | $19,456
0.83% | $10,554
-4.60% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,390
1.15% | $20,248
-3.71% | $24,199
2.59% | $8,702
1.33% | $18,983
-2.43% | $10,588
0.32% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$8,577
2.23% | $18,018
-11.01% | $24,494
1.22% | $8,793
1.05% | $19,074
0.48% | $10,629
0.39% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$8,934
4.16% | $18,728
3.94% | $27,541
12.44% | $9,215
4.80% | $19,894
4.30% | $11,465
7.87% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$9,107
1.94% | $21,728
16.02% | $28,013
1.71% | $9,442
2.46% | $20,359
2.34% | $11,825
3.14% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,129 for Kansas Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Kansas Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,230 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,238
0.65% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,182
-4.52% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,164
-1.52% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,119
-3.87% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,137
1.61% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,148
0.97% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,135
-1.13% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,175
3.52% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,129
-3.91% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For Kansas Colleges, the living have increased 24.19% when a student lives on campus facilities and 25.08% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for Kansas Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,316 | $12,000 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,604
3.59% | $12,097
3.31% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $12,036
4.70% | $12,169
-0.93% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $12,358
3.07% | $12,804
2.50% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,998
4.54% | $13,796
4.09% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $13,223
1.57% | $14,016
3.01% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $13,682
2.67% | $14,407
3.52% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $14,065
1.58% | $14,876
4.77% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $15,175
8.66% | $15,861
5.12% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $16,030
4.30% | $16,766
11.26% |
|---|