Best Space Studies Schools Near Manhattan, KS (2026)

Updated September 7, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Manhattan, Kansas has 2 accredited schools offering space studies programs. Manhattan has a population of about 53,951. Median household income is $58,441 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 52.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Manhattan, KS metro area, the top-earning space studies-related role is Natural Sciences Managers at a median $140,850 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Space Studies Schools to Manhattan

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

University of Kansas

Lawrence, KS 74.5 miles from Manhattan
  • 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

#2

Benedictine College

Atchison, KS 84.0 miles from Manhattan
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,175
Avg net price $27,891/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Space Studies Wages Near Manhattan

Manhattan is part of the Manhattan, KS metro area (BLS area code 31740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Kansas statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Astronomers N/A KS statewide –
Physicists N/A KS statewide –
Aerospace Engineers $130,330 KS statewide $144,490
Natural Sciences Managers $140,850 Manhattan, KS $156,153
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $109,300 KS statewide $121,175
Engineers, All Other $73,580 Manhattan, KS $81,574
Atmospheric, Earth, Marine, and Space Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary $101,750 KS statewide $112,805
Physical Scientists, All Other N/A KS statewide –

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.

Manhattan at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 53,951 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $58,441 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 52.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 90.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Manhattan-Area Cities With Space Studies Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited space studies schools are near Manhattan, KS?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering space studies programs near Manhattan. The closest is University of Kansas in Lawrence, KS (74.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Benedictine College (84.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying space studies roles near Manhattan?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying space studies-related roles near Manhattan are: Natural Sciences Managers ($140,850), Aerospace Engineers ($130,330), Atmospheric and Space Scientists ($109,300). 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 Junction City instead of Manhattan?

Junction City, KS is 17.2 miles from Manhattan and has its own set of local space studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Manhattan an affordable place to study space studies?

Manhattan’s median household income of $58,441 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Manhattan 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 Space Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Manhattan

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

Data verified: September 7, 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.

Back to Best Space Studies Schools in Kansas: Online Programs (2026)