Nursing in Kansas
Kansas has 45 nursing schools running 77 board-approved programs, and the median RN program’s first-time NCLEX pass rate was 88.6%. Registered nurses here earn a median of $79,320; nurse practitioners, $126,650. Kansas is a compact state, so a license here can be a multistate license. Every figure below names its source and the period it covers.
Nursing Schools in Kansas
71 of Kansas’s 77 programs have a published 2025 first-time pass rate. RN programs averaged 89% — 2.5 points above the 86.5% national average. Practical nursing programs averaged 93.4%.
| Degree | Programs | Median pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| Associate (ADN) | 26 | 88.6% (25 rated) |
| Bachelor’s (BSN) | 24 | 88.1% (21 rated) |
Both degrees lead to the same RN license. ADN vs BSN, compared nationally →
Highest first-time pass rates (2025)
In-state RN programs. Ties go to the program with more nursing graduates. A single year’s rate swings widely for small programs; check the trend before you choose.
- Coffeyville Community CollegeCoffeyville · PN & ADN Program (1 + 1) — ADN level100%
- Garden City Community CollegeGarden City · PN & ADN Programs (1 + 1) — ADN level100%
- Dodge City Community CollegeDodge City · ADN Program with LPN opt-out option100%
- Kansas Wesleyan UniversitySalina · BSN Program100%
- Pittsburg State UniversityPittsburg · BSN Program97.6%
What Nurses Earn in Kansas
Federal wage survey data (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — employer-reported, not job-board estimates. The RN median in Kansas is $18,230 below the $97,550 national median; the NP median is $5,650 below the $132,300 national NP median.
| Kansas | Registered nurse | Nurse practitioner |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $79,320 | $126,650 |
| Median hourly | $38.14 | $60.89 |
| Starting range (10th pct.) | $63,180 | $98,330 |
| Top earners (90th pct.) | $100,840 | $158,080 |
| Employed in state | 33,800 | 3,780 |
Licensing in Kansas
Kansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented July 1, 2019). A nurse whose primary residence is Kansas can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license.
Either way the license starts the same: graduate from a board-approved program and pass the NCLEX. Fees, processing times, and continuing-education rules are set by the Kansas board of nursing and change — confirm them with the board directly. The board documents these pass rates came from: Roster Revised: 2025-12; rates = CY2025 first-time (through Dec 31 2025), obtained from NCS Pearson/NCSBN 1/12/2026.
Sources
- First-time NCLEX pass rates by programEach state board of nursing — the exact board documents are linked on every state page · Data: 2025 first-time test takers · Checked
- Program cost, completion, and graduate earningsU.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Checked
- Registered nurse wages and employment (SOC 29-1141)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse practitioner wages and employment (SOC 29-1171)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics · Data: May 2025 · Checked
- Nurse Licensure Compact member states and implementation datesNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) · Checked
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nursing schools are in Kansas?
Kansas has 45 nursing schools running 77 board-approved programs — 51 RN programs and 26 practical nursing programs (state board of nursing list, 2025 pass-rate year).
What is the NCLEX pass rate in Kansas?
The median Kansas RN program's first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate was 88.6%, and the average across programs was 89% — 2.5 points above the 86.5% national average (2025 first-time test takers, from the state board of nursing).
How much do nurses make in Kansas?
Registered nurses in Kansas earn a median of $79,320 a year ($38.14 an hour), $18,230 below the national RN median. Nurse practitioners earn a median of $126,650 (BLS, May 2025).
Is Kansas a compact nursing state?
Kansas is a Nurse Licensure Compact state (implemented July 1, 2019). A nurse whose primary residence is Kansas can hold one multistate license and practice in every other compact state without applying for another license. Source: NCSBN compact map, checked September 17, 2026.
Nursing in other states
Keep going
- Degree pathwayADN vs BSNBoth degrees lead to the same RN license. Here is how associate and bachelor’s programs actually compare on NCLEX pass rates, graduate debt, and earnings.
- GuideADN vs BSN: Which Nursing Program Should You Choose?Compare ADN and prelicensure BSN pathways by time, total cost, admission, clinical logistics, employer expectations, and bridge options—not prestige alone.
- FinderCheapest RN programs in the U.S.The lowest-cost RN programs nationally, with their NCLEX pass rates alongside.
- FinderCompare nursing schoolsPut any nursing programs side by side on pass rate, cost, and outcomes.
- GuideHow Competitive Is Nursing School Admission?Estimate nursing-school competitiveness using seats, qualified applicants, point rubrics, recent cutoffs, attrition, and the parts of your application you can still change.
- Degree pathwayLPN to RNThe pay difference between a practical nurse and a registered nurse, and how practical-nursing and RN programs compare on pass rates, debt, and graduate earnings.