Best Online Nursing Programs in Derby, KS (2026)

Derby, Kansas has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $6,018 to $16,928 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $205,540 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Derby

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

#1

Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology

Wichita, KS 13.9 miles from Derby BOC Score 54.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,679
Avg net price $8,805/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Butler Community College

El Dorado, KS 27.4 miles from Derby BOC Score 44.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 27%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,206
Avg net price $15,724/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 72

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Cowley County Community College

Arkansas City, KS 36.2 miles from Derby BOC Score 52.2
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,723
Avg net price $7,175/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 34

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Hutchinson Community College

Hutchinson, KS 50.6 miles from Derby 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

#5

Pratt Community College

Pratt, KS 72.5 miles from Derby BOC Score 56.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,892
Avg net price $9,731/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Flint Hills Technical College

Emporia, KS 82.2 miles from Derby BOC Score 75.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,007
Avg net price $16,017/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Salina Area Technical College

Salina, KS 88.0 miles from Derby BOC Score 78.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,175
Avg net price $6,468/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Independence Community College

Independence, KS 88.0 miles from Derby BOC Score 45.4
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,941
Avg net price $3,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Registered Nurse$76,540Wichita, KS$86,097
Licensed Practical Nurse$60,310Wichita, KS$67,840
Nurse Anesthetist$205,540Wichita, KS$231,204
Nurse MidwifeN/AKS statewide
Nurse Practitioner$116,100Wichita, KS$130,596
Nursing Assistant$37,290Wichita, KS$41,946

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

MetricValueSource
Population25,801Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$82,089Census 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
Nursing-related employment in Sedgwick County13,507 workers, 141 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Derby-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Derby, KS?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Derby 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 nursing roles near Derby?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Derby are: Nurse Anesthetist ($205,540), Nurse Practitioner ($116,100), Registered Nurse ($76,540). 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 nursing 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 nursing?

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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Derby

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

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.