Best Online Engineering Programs in Hays, KS (2026)

Hays, Kansas has 3 accredited schools offering engineering programs. Hays has a population of about 21,078. Median household income is $56,861 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 43.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $160,150 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to Hays

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Hays, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hays 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 Hays. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Barton County Community College

Great Bend, KS 45.9 miles from Hays BOC Score 50.8
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,428
Avg net price $9,905/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fort Hays Tech North Central

Beloit, KS 77.1 miles from Hays BOC Score 60.9
  • 2 year
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,928
Avg net price $12,393/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Hutchinson Community College

Hutchinson, KS 94.4 miles from Hays BOC Score 57.3
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,470
Avg net price $6,727/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

McPherson College

McPherson, KS 97.1 miles from Hays BOC Score 30.4
  • 4 year
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: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Hesston College

Hesston, KS 114.5 miles from Hays BOC Score 60.6
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,495
Avg net price $26,299/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Fort Hays State University-Northwest Kansas Technical College

Goodland, KS 131.6 miles from Hays BOC Score 66.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,616
Avg net price $13,074/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wichita Technical Institute

Wichita, KS 135.4 miles from Hays BOC Score 42.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,101
Avg net price $18,793/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Wichita State University

Wichita, KS 135.5 miles from Hays BOC Score 51.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Engineering Wages Near Hays

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Civil Engineer$96,880
Electrical Engineer$102,630
Mechanical Engineer$86,260
Chemical Engineer$102,020
Aerospace Engineer$130,330
Biomedical EngineerN/A
Environmental Engineer$94,070
Architectural and Engineering Manager$160,150

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.


Hays at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population21,078Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,861Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+43.9%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Ellis County8 workers, 7 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Hays-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Hays, KS?

Accredited schools offering engineering programs near Hays are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles in Kansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in Kansas are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($160,150), Aerospace Engineer ($130,330), Electrical Engineer ($102,630). Wages for Hays workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Dodge City instead of Hays?

Dodge City, KS is 86.1 miles from Hays 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 Hays an affordable place to study engineering?

Hays’s median household income of $56,861 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hays 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

Other Programs Available in Hays

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

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.