Best Associate's in Elementary Education Programs in Kansas
All 3 Elementary Education associate's-level programs in Kansas, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
An associate's in elementary education is a two-year transfer degree and the first step toward a bachelor's and an eventual Kansas teaching license, and Kansas has 3 accredited elementary education associate's programs to compare. This ranking scores every one on the outcomes that actually affect your return: graduation rate, in-state affordability, and selectivity, all pulled from the public federal IPEDS database. Dodge City Community College ranks first with a score of 100, on a 35 percent graduation rate.
Teaching assistants in Kansas earn a median of $29,490 a year according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, against a national median of $36,780. Each section below covers a specific decision point, cost and real ROI, Kansas licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in Kansas on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Dodge City Community College
100score- 35%Grad rate
- $1,800/yrIn-state tuition
- $2,100/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 1,655Undergrads
- 5Grads/yr
- Elementary Education
About the programDodge City Community College offers an Associate of Arts in Elementary Education, advised through its Early Childhood Coordinator. The catalog degree plan runs about 60 semester hours across four semesters. This degree is a transfer pathway rather than a licensure credential, giving students the early coursework they need before completing a bachelor's degree and teaching license at a four-year institution. Among Kansas's 3 ranked associate's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 35%. Graduates of this elementary education program at the associate level often go on to work as teaching assistants.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageWe rank on the things that actually shape a teaching degree: whether students finish, how hard it is to get in, and the price of admission. Its strongest card is completion: a 35% graduation rate lands it in the top 1% of Kansas programs, and since finishing counts for the most, that does much of the work. Cost only helps its case: at $1,800 in state, tuition runs below the Kansas median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. Strong on the measures that matter most, it earns a place near the top.
- 2
Butler Community College
28score- 32%Grad rate
- $3,090/yrIn-state tuition
- $4,890/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 6,841Undergrads
- 56Grads/yr
- Elementary Education (Associate of Arts / Associate of Science)
- Hybrid
About the programButler Community College offers an Elementary Education associate degree, available as an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science, totaling 60 to 61 credit hours and targeting PK-6 teaching. Students work alongside a licensed teacher and gain hands-on experience in real classrooms. It is offered in-person or 100% online. The BEST (Butler-Emporia State Transfer) partnership lets students complete a four-year bachelor's degree without leaving the Andover campus, and an Early College Academy pathway lets high school students earn the associate degree alongside their diploma. The program is Kansas Promise Scholarship eligible. It is a transfer pathway, not itself a license. It awards more associate's-level elementary education degrees than any of Kansas's 3 ranked associate's-level programs, 56 in the most recent year. Earning an associate degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Kansas's teaching assistants.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageWhere it lands is a story about completion first, then selectivity, then cost. On completion, the heaviest factor, it lands mid-pack among Kansas programs at 32%, solid without being a standout. The one drag is price, $3,090 in state, above the Kansas median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. Strong on the measures that matter most, it earns a place near the top.
- 3
Haskell Indian Nations University
23score- 18%Grad rate
- 90%Admit rate
- 978Undergrads
- 4Grads/yr
- Associate of Arts in Para-Professional Education
- On-campus
About the programHaskell Indian Nations University offers an Associate of Arts in Para-Professional Education through its School of Education, an on-campus program aimed at students who want to work in K-6 schools and, for many, to keep going toward a full teaching degree. Rather than a licensure credential on its own, it prepares graduates to serve as para-professionals while laying the groundwork for the university's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. A distinctive strength is its cohort model, with teacher candidates moving through general education and an education emphasis together, building a close community as they learn. That shared progression reflects the program's supportive, student-centered approach. The School of Education holds accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approval from the Kansas State Department of Education. A associate-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among teaching assistants in Kansas.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThe ranking rewards programs that graduate their students, stay at least somewhat selective, and keep tuition reasonable, so here is how this one measures up. The sticking point is completion, the factor we weigh most heavily: at 18% the graduation rate trails the Kansas median, which caps how high it can climb. Admission is close to open access at 90%, so this is a program that bets on teaching students well rather than screening them out. Strong on the measures that matter most, it earns a place near the top.
Key facts about a associate's in Elementary Education in Kansas
- Kansas has 3 accredited associate's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Dodge City Community College ranks first among elementary education associate's programs in Kansas with a score of 100, on a 35 percent graduation rate.
- Dodge City Community College is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in Kansas, at $1,800 a year in-state tuition.
- Teaching assistants in Kansas earn a median of $29,490 a year (BLS), ranking Kansas 42 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- Kansas requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through Kansas State Department of Education, Teacher Licensure, to earn a teaching license.
What a associate's in elementary education costs in Kansas (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a associate's in elementary education in Kansas runs from $1,800 to $3,090 a year across the 3 programs we rank, with a median of $1,800. The most affordable is Dodge City Community College at $1,800 a year. These are published sticker rates from IPEDS; most future teachers bring the net figure down with the Pell Grant, the federal TEACH Grant, and state teacher-preparation aid, so weigh net price, not the sticker.
Cost only means something next to completion. The elementary education programs ranked here average a 28 percent graduation rate, and a lower-priced program where fewer students finish is not necessarily the cheaper path to a degree. Compare tuition and graduation rate together above.
Sources: IPEDS tuition data
What teaching assistants earn in Kansas
Teaching assistants in Kansas earn a median of $29,490 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $36,780. That ranks Kansas 42 of 51 states and territories for teaching assistants pay. Nationally, pay for this occupation spans roughly $27,150 at the 10th percentile to $50,040 at the 90th, with a master's degree, years in the classroom, and the local district salary schedule driving the climb.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 1 percent decline in teaching assistants employment nationally from 2024 to 2034, with about 170,400 openings a year as teachers retire or change careers. A associate's in elementary education in Kansas is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a Kansas teaching license
An associate's in elementary education does not by itself qualify you for a Kansas teaching license. It is a two-year foundation that transfers into a bachelor's, which, with a supervised student-teaching placement and Praxis (The Praxis Series), leads to the Initial License issued by Kansas State Department of Education, Teacher Licensure. Associate's graduates also qualify for teaching-assistant and paraprofessional roles in Kansas schools while they finish the bachelor's.
Confirm your elementary education program is currently approved by Kansas State Department of Education, Teacher Licensure before you enroll.
Sources: Kansas educator certification, Praxis exam
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in Kansas
Pick a associate's in elementary education in Kansas that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the Kansas Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a Kansas teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in Kansas.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Frequently asked questions about a associate's in Elementary Education in Kansas
How many associate's in elementary education programs are in Kansas?
There are 3 accredited associate's in elementary education programs in Kansas in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in Kansas?
Dodge City Community College is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in Kansas, at $1,800 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do teaching assistants make in Kansas?
Teaching assistants in Kansas earn a median of $29,490 a year, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes259045.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics</a>, versus $36,780 nationally.
What exam do you need to teach in Kansas?
Kansas requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for Kansas State Department of Education, Teacher Licensure. See the <a href="https://www.ets.org/praxis" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a associate's in elementary education worth it in Kansas?
For most future teachers, yes. A associate's in elementary education in Kansas is the standard credential for a Kansas teaching license, and it leads to a median teaching assistants salary of $29,490 a year in Kansas. Compare graduation rate and net price above to find the best value in 2026.
These are the best associate's in elementary education programs in Kansas for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 3 associate's in elementary education in Kansas above by graduation rate, tuition, and selectivity, then open each program page to take the next step toward transferring into a bachelor's and a classroom career in Kansas.