Wichita Technical Institute
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Best Online Engineering Programs in Derby, KS (2026)
Derby, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $6,018 to $21,064 per year for indexed 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 engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $154,310 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Engineering Schools to Derby
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Derby. Distances are calculated from Derby city center.
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.
Wichita State University
Published tuition$9,322 - $21,064
Online programsYes
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Published tuition$6,018 - $16,928
Online programsYes
Butler Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Hutchinson Community College
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Kansas schools on the Kansas engineering page.
Engineering 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $84,310 | Wichita, KS | $94,837 |
| Electrical Engineer | $98,480 | Wichita, KS | $110,776 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $94,610 | Wichita, KS | $106,423 |
| Chemical Engineer | $128,780 | Wichita, KS | $144,859 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $130,720 | Wichita, KS | $147,042 |
| Biomedical Engineer | N/A | KS statewide | – |
| Environmental Engineer | $92,550 | Wichita, KS | $104,106 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $154,310 | Wichita, KS | $173,577 |
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 |
| Engineering-related employment in Sedgwick County | 2,793 workers, 312 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Derby-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- Wichita, KS – 10.4 mi away (482,205 pop)
- Newton, KS – 33.5 mi away (20,625 pop)
- Hutchinson, KS – 50.1 mi away (43,507 pop)
- Ponca City, OK – 58.5 mi away (25,164 pop)
- Emporia, KS – 82.2 mi away (24,730 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Derby, KS?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Derby. The closest is Wichita Technical Institute in Wichita, KS (9.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hutchinson Community College (50.6 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Derby?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Derby are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($154,310), Aerospace Engineer ($130,720), Chemical Engineer ($128,780). 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 engineering 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 engineering?
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 Engineering Programs
- Engineering accreditation: what to look for
- Engineering concentrations and specializations
- Is a Engineering degree worth it?
- Main Engineering degree guide
- Online Engineering programs in Kansas
- Engineering programs by state
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Data verified: June 11, 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.