Best Online Human Services Programs in Emporia, KS (2026)

Emporia, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering human services programs. Emporia has a population of about 24,098. Median household income is $52,787 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Kansas, the top-earning human services-related role is Social and Community Service Manager at a median $79,260 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Human Services Schools to Emporia

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

#1

Rasmussen University-Kansas

Topeka, KS 49.0 miles from Emporia BOC Score 49.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,080
Avg net price $23,980/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Ottawa University-Ottawa

Ottawa, KS 52.1 miles from Emporia BOC Score 33.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 59.7 miles from Emporia BOC Score 67.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,262
Avg net price $19,406/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

McPherson College

McPherson, KS 78.6 miles from Emporia 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

Central Christian College of Kansas

McPherson, KS 79.9 miles from Emporia BOC Score 37.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,468
Avg net price $11,404/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 53%
  • Programs offered: 16

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Ottawa University-Kansas City

Overland Park, KS 91.6 miles from Emporia BOC Score 61.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,552
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Ottawa University-Online

Overland Park, KS 91.6 miles from Emporia BOC Score 60.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
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: 26

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Human Services Wages Near Emporia

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Social and Human Service Assistant$42,570
Social and Community Service Manager$79,260
Child, Family and School Social Worker$54,300
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor$59,470

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.


Emporia at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population24,098Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$52,787Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Emporia-Area Cities With Human Services Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited human services schools are near Emporia, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering human services programs near Emporia. The closest is Rasmussen University-Kansas in Topeka, KS (49.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central Christian College of Kansas (79.9 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying human services roles in Kansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying human services-related roles in Kansas are: Social and Community Service Manager ($79,260), Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor ($59,470), Child, Family and School Social Worker ($54,300). Wages for Emporia workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Topeka instead of Emporia?

Topeka, KS is 51.3 miles from Emporia and has its own set of local human services programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Emporia an affordable place to study human services?

Emporia’s median household income of $52,787 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Emporia 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 Human Services Programs

Other Programs Available in Emporia

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

Data verified: July 30, 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.