Best Forensic Accounting Schools Near Gardner, KS (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Gardner, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering forensic accounting programs, with tuition ranging from $13,296 to $50,096 per year for indexed programs. Gardner has a population of about 24,020. Median household income is $92,579 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 32.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area, the top-earning forensic accounting-related role is Detective and Criminal Investigator at a median $91,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Forensic Accounting Schools to Gardner

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer forensic accounting programs near Gardner, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Gardner 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 Gardner. 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

MidAmerica Nazarene University

Olathe, KS 9.0 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,972
Avg net price $32,165/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Baker University

Baldwin City, KS 14.1 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,855
Avg net price $25,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Ottawa University-Kansas City

Overland Park, KS 17.7 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,552
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ottawa University-Online

Overland Park, KS 17.7 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,552
Tuition
In‑state$13,296
Out‑of‑state$13,296
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 19.7 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,945
Avg net price $18,059/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ottawa University-Ottawa

Ottawa, KS 23.3 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
33.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,552
Avg net price $27,963/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 58%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

University of Saint Mary

Leavenworth, KS 32.0 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
48.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,483
Avg net price $22,519/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Washburn University

Topeka, KS 44.2 miles from Gardner
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,774
Avg net price $15,280/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Forensic Accounting Wages Near Gardner

Gardner is part of the Kansas City, MO-KS metro area (BLS area code 28140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Accountant and Auditor$80,040Kansas City, MO-KS$86,530
Financial Examiner$89,300Kansas City, MO-KS$96,541
Detective and Criminal Investigator$91,490Kansas City, MO-KS$98,908

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.

Gardner at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,020Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$92,579Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+32.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Gardner-Area Cities With Forensic Accounting Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited forensic accounting schools are near Gardner, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering forensic accounting programs near Gardner. The closest is MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, KS (9.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Avila University (19.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying forensic accounting roles near Gardner?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying forensic accounting-related roles near Gardner are: Detective and Criminal Investigator ($91,490), Financial Examiner ($89,300), Accountant and Auditor ($80,040). 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 Olathe instead of Gardner?

Olathe, KS is 7.6 miles from Gardner and has its own set of local forensic accounting programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Gardner an affordable place to study forensic accounting?

Gardner’s median household income of $92,579 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gardner 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 Forensic Accounting Programs

Other Programs Available in Gardner

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

Data verified: August 31, 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.

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