Higher Education

Founded in 1965, Cloud County Community College has been the cornerstone of higher education in North Central Kansas for almost 60 years.

The Concordia campus is made up of four buildings, grouped together on three levels, and connected by a central library. Additionally, Tech West houses the Nursing Department and the Child Care Center. There are 15 campus apartment buildings, as well as Thunder Heights, a 78-person, three-story building that offers private and semi-private rooms.

The Geary County Campus moved to its current location on the west side of Junction City in 1998 and is easily accessible from I-70 and US-77.  This commuter campus offers several career and transfer programs and is honored to serve the Junction City/Geary County community and surrounding region, including military veterans, active duty military members and their dependents.  With a variety of day and evening course offerings, students taking classes on campus have the privilege of flexible class scheduling.

At Cloud, there is something for everyone – from 12 programs of study, to athletics, to a wide variety of student activities. With an 11-to-1 faculty to student ratio, students have the luxury of small class sizes, giving them a more personal experience than at a four-year university. Attending Cloud is also a third the cost of universities, giving students the ability to save thousands of dollars while receiving a high-quality, student-centered education.

Students are successful at Cloud County, with nearly 50 percent graduating. Not only are students successful at Cloud, but they have a higher GPA when they transfer to universities than students who transfer from other Kansas community colleges.

Cloud County has strong relationships with high schools in our 12-county service area, and there are many opportunities for high school students to earn college credits. The easiest way is to take concurrent classes at students’ high schools during the school day. Many of Cloud’s courses are offered online for high school students to take, and there are also face-to-face class opportunities.

High School students can also take advantage of the Career and Technical Education Act, which allows Cloud to enroll high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in technical education courses without charging tuition. That’s right - FREE TUITION! Students taking these classes will only be responsible for paying course specific fees and book charges.

Kansas State University (K-State), the R1 research institution and oldest university in Kansas, is located minutes away from Junction City. K-State has 65 academic departments in nine colleges. Its graduate school offers 71 master's degree programs, 43 doctoral programs and 39 graduate certificates.

K-State prides itself on a business-friendly approach. Visit these links to explore their research collaboration, professional development, and co-location options.

• Access Research and Innovation
• Explore a Strategic Partnership
• Find Talent and Resources
• Co-locate with K-State
• Explore Professional Development Opportunities
• Invest in K-State

The university has a longstanding emphasis on agriculture and veterinary medicine. Because of K-State’s research excellence in biosecurity, it was selected as the home of the new $1.25 billion National Bio and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's foremost animal disease research facility. The cutting edge facility will feature about 500,000 square feet of research and support space. It’s expected to be completed by 2021 and in operation by 2023.

Manhattan Area Technical College provides high quality technical, general, and adult education to prepare individuals to pursue technologically advanced careers and lead productive lives in a dynamic and diverse global environment. 

MATC fulfills its mission by:

• Offering associate of applied science degrees and technical certificates upon completion of programs and courses in technical fields to meet student, employer, and community needs.
• Complementing technical instruction with general education courses emphasizing critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills.
• Creating opportunities for secondary students in technical education through articulation agreements.
• Providing student services to include counseling, financial aid, skill enhancement and assessment, employability preparation, and student-directed activities.
• Assessing student performance and outcomes to enhance learning.
• Allocating resources to ensure a safe, accessible, and student-friendly learning environment.
• Monitoring integrity through interaction with program advisory councils, a general advisory council, and evaluation by approving agencies.
• Serving as a valued community leader and partner in the educational, economic, and workforce development of our service area.

Programs offered through Barton’s Grandview Plaza campus:

• Hazardous Materials Management
• Emergency Management and Homeland Security
• Occupational Safety and Health
• Customized Training Opportunities

For more information on Military Training programs, visit military.bartonccc.edu.

2021 marks the 70th year of the transformational power of education at Grantham University. Founded in 1951, Grantham University developed as part of the traditional college and university movement of the late 20th Century with a main campus in Southern California. As interest in Grantham's degree programs grew beyond campus boundaries, the college developed distance education programs to serve a geographically dispersed student body. Over time and as technology advanced, so too did our ability to serve our students. Since 2000, Grantham began offering degree programs exclusively online.

Today Grantham is still 100% online, offering more than 60 degree and certificate programs in four different colleges: The College of Science, Engineering, and Technology; the College of Business, Management, and Economics; the College of Nursing and Health Professions; and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

At K-State Salina, we are centered around the student experience emphasizing innovative learning, real-world experiences and industry connections. Our student to faculty ratio is 14:1 – meaning our faculty are focused on each individual student. We are a tight-knit family with a small college feel and the resources of a Big 12 university.

Stats and Strengths

The proof is in the numbers. With growing enrollment, degrees that propel you immediately into a successful career and a stellar placement rating, K-State Polytechnic is where you want to be. It's safe to say that these accomplishments are just the tip of the purple iceberg, and we have no intention of slowing down.

Student-focused Learning

Our average class size is 14 students, meaning our faculty can focus on each individual student.

No. 2 UAS College

Kansas State Polytechnic named the No. 2 Unmanned Aerial Systems College in the United States. Drone Training HQ, 2016

$80,000

Kansas State Polytechnic offers the largest renewable scholarship in the state, the Vanier Family Presidential Scholarship.

66% Labs

66% of total learning space on campus is hands-on labs.

98% Placement

98% of recent graduates surveyed are employed or continuing their education.