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2026 Best Value Research and Development Management Schools in Kansas

[Research and Development Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/business-administration-and-management/research-and-development-management/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 2 schools to find the best return on investment for research and development management students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Research and Development Management Schools in Kansas

2026 Best Value Research and Development Management Schools in Kansas

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in research and development management, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Research and Development Management Schools

1

Fort Hays State University
Hays, KS

$5,923 In-State Tuition & Fees

$27,000 Avg Student Debt

$48,928 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Fort Hays State University, our #1 best value for research and development management in Kansas. Located in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $5,923 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $17,741. Typical student debt for research and development management graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, research and development management degree recipients from Fort Hays State University generally make around $57,805. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.

2

University Of Kansas
Lawrence, KS

$12,102 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,469 Avg Student Debt

$61,945 Median Earnings (10yr)

The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Kansas earned it the #2 place for research and development management. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,102, while out-of-state students pay about $30,432. Students borrow a median of $21,469 to complete the research and development management program here. Early-career research and development management graduates make about $76,029. That is a strong return on a $21,469 median debt. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.

View All Research and Development Management Rankings >

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 · 2 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.