Best Online Machine Learning Programs in Hays, KS (2026)

Hays, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering machine learning 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 machine learning-related role is Software Developer at a median $113,420 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Machine Learning Schools to Hays

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer machine learning 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

Kansas Wesleyan University

Salina, KS 92.2 miles from Hays BOC Score 36.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,152
Avg net price $22,671/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Friends University

Wichita, KS 134.7 miles from Hays BOC Score 38.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

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

#4

Kansas State University

Manhattan, KS 148.4 miles from Hays 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

#5

Southwestern College

Winfield, KS 170.2 miles from Hays BOC Score 36.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Rasmussen University-Kansas

Topeka, KS 194.5 miles from Hays 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

#7

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 219.0 miles from Hays BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 67

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Ottawa University-Ottawa

Ottawa, KS 219.5 miles from Hays 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

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


Machine Learning Wages Near Hays

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Kansas, statewide)
Computer and Information Research ScientistN/A
Data Scientist$98,130
Software Developer$113,420
Statistician$111,780

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)

Other Hays-Area Cities With Machine Learning Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited machine learning schools are near Hays, KS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering machine learning programs near Hays. The closest is Barton County Community College in Great Bend, KS (45.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Hutchinson Community College (94.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying machine learning roles in Kansas?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying machine learning-related roles in Kansas are: Software Developer ($113,420), Statistician ($111,780), Data Scientist ($98,130). 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 machine learning 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 machine learning?

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 Machine Learning Programs

Other Programs Available in Hays

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

Data verified: August 10, 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.