Best Chemistry Schools Near Derby, KS (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Derby, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs. Derby has a population of about 25,801. Median household income is $82,089 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 36.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Wichita, KS metro area, the top-earning chemistry-related role is Chemical Engineers at a median $128,780 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Chemistry Schools to Derby

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer chemistry programs near Derby, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Derby city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Derby. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Friends University

Wichita, KS 10.4 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,113
Avg net price $27,715/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Newman University

Wichita, KS 10.4 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,041
Avg net price $19,971/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 11.4 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,532
Avg net price $13,194/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 149

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Southwestern College

Winfield, KS 26.3 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,646
Avg net price $29,824/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Tabor College

Hillsboro, KS 54.8 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,058
Avg net price $20,205/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

McPherson College

McPherson, KS 60.1 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
30.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,084
Avg net price $26,441/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Sterling College

Sterling, KS 69.3 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
31.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 41%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,846
Avg net price $22,371/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 55%
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Bethany College

Lindsborg, KS 74.3 miles from Derby
  • 4 year
18.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,694
Avg net price $27,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 46%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kansas schools on the Kansas chemistry page.

Chemistry Wages Near Derby

Derby is part of the Wichita, KS metro area (BLS area code 48620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Chemists $96,040 Wichita, KS $108,031
Biochemists and Biophysicists $97,850 KS statewide $110,067
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary $93,830 KS statewide $105,546
Chemical Technicians $50,830 Wichita, KS $57,177
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $84,490 KS statewide $95,039
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $81,180 Wichita, KS $91,316
Chemical Engineers $128,780 Wichita, KS $144,859
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $61,840 Wichita, KS $69,561

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Derby at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 25,801 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $82,089 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 36.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.9 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Derby-Area Cities With Chemistry Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited chemistry schools are near Derby, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs near Derby. The closest is Friends University in Wichita, KS (10.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tabor College (54.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying chemistry roles near Derby?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying chemistry-related roles near Derby are: Chemical Engineers ($128,780), Biochemists and Biophysicists ($97,850), Chemists ($96,040). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Kansas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wichita instead of Derby?

Wichita, KS is 10.4 miles from Derby and has its own set of local chemistry programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Derby an affordable place to study chemistry?

Derby’s median household income of $82,089 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Derby while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Kansas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Chemistry Programs

Other Programs Available in Derby

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Derby:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Chemistry Schools in Kansas: Online Programs (2026)