2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Kansas

[Athletic Training](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/athletic-training/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 13 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value athletic training schools.
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2026 Best Value Athletic Training Schools in Kansas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the athletic training degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Athletic Training Schools
For return on investment in athletic training, no school beat Barton County Community College this year. Located in the rural area of Great Bend, Barton County Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,680, with out-of-state students paying around $4,960. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $14,792 in student loans. Soon after graduation, athletic training degree recipients from Barton County Community College generally make around $44,536. Set against $14,792 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in athletic training will find it at Fort Hays State University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Hays, Fort Hays State University is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,923, compared with $17,741 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,288 to complete the athletic training program here. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $49,775. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Fort Hays State University admits about 90% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Wichita State University one of the best values for athletic training. Wichita State University is a large public school located in the city of Wichita. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,684, while out-of-state students pay about $19,869. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $24,262 in student loans. Athletic Training graduates of Wichita State University earn a median of $116,584 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,262 median debt. Wichita State University admits about 94% of applicants.
Butler Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in athletic training, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of El Dorado, Butler Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,541, with out-of-state students paying around $6,271. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $16,670 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $39,404. That is a strong return on a $16,670 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in athletic training will find it at University Of Kansas, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Lawrence, University Of Kansas is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,102, compared with $30,432 for out-of-state students. Athletic Training graduates carry a median of $25,847 in student loans. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $43,930. Set against $25,847 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
Kansas State University landed the #6 spot for athletic training value this year. Set in the city of Manhattan, Kansas State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,221, with out-of-state students paying around $28,568. Typical student debt for athletic training graduates is $23,546. Athletic Training graduates of Kansas State University earn a median of $51,543 early in their careers. Set against $23,546 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Kansas State University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Saint Mary placed #7 among the best values for athletic training. Set in the town of Leavenworth, University Of Saint Mary is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $35,380 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for athletic training graduates is $27,810. Early-career athletic training graduates make about $52,152. That is a strong return on a $27,810 median debt. University Of Saint Mary admits about 87% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 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.