2026 Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools in Kansas

[Mental & Social Health Services](/majors/health-care-professions/mental-social-health-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 9 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value mental & social health services schools.
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2026 Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools in Kansas
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mental & social health services, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mental & Social Health Services Schools
Washburn University earned the #1 spot for value among mental & social health services schools in Kansas. Located in the city of Topeka, Washburn University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,945, while out-of-state students pay about $20,949. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $31,063 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mental & social health services degree recipients from Washburn University generally make around $45,543. That is a strong return on a $31,063 median debt.
Emporia State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value mental & social health services schools. Emporia State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Emporia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,106, with out-of-state students paying around $15,419. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $23,131 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mental & social health services degree recipients from Emporia State University generally make around $48,228. That is a strong return on a $23,131 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Kansas is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mental & social health services, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of Kansas is a very large public school located in the city of Lawrence. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,102, with out-of-state students paying around $30,432. Mental & Social Health Services graduates carry a median of $24,907 in student loans. Soon after graduation, mental & social health services degree recipients from University Of Kansas generally make around $42,480. Set against $24,907 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Friends University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mental & social health services, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Wichita, Friends University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,192. Typical student debt for mental & social health services graduates is $29,721. Early-career mental & social health services graduates make about $43,226. That is a strong return on a $29,721 median debt. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.