The 4 best mechatronics bachelor's programs in Kansas, ranked
Four programs covering distinct student profiles. WSU BSET-Mechatronics is the standard ABET-ETAC aerospace pipeline. WSU Applied Engineering Process Automation is the ARM Institute-endorsed broader applied-engineering option. K-State Salina is the Great Plains Scholars choice for central KS ag-equipment careers. Pittsburg State serves southeast KS with the MET-Automation emphasis. Pick by accreditation tier preference, employer pipeline, and geography.
Wichita, KS
BS Engineering Technology - Mechatronics Technology Concentration
Wichita State University
Wichita State University's BS in Engineering Technology with Mechatronics Technology Concentration is the primary BS pipeline for Spirit AeroSystems automation roles in Wichita. Students access the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) Robotics and Automation Lab. Formal 2+2 articulation from WSU Tech AAS programs.
Tuition
$8,800/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-ETAC
Hiring employers
Overall
73
of 100
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Salina, KS
BS Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology Option
Kansas State University - Salina
K-State Salina's BS in Engineering Technology with Robotics and Automation option includes a Great Plains Manufacturing Scholars Program that covers about 85 percent of tuition through paid factory work at Great Plains Manufacturing in Salina. Strong applied-engineering placement across ag-equipment and aerospace manufacturing.
Tuition
$10,500/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-ETAC
Hiring employers
Overall
71
of 100
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Pittsburg, KS
BS Mechanical Engineering Technology - Automation Emphasis
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University's BS in Mechanical Engineering Technology with Automation Emphasis is ABET-ETAC accredited. Coursework covers PLC programming, simulation, and networked controls. Southeast Kansas location with regional manufacturing placement.
Tuition
$8,500/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
ABET-ETAC
Overall
70
of 100
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Wichita, KS
BS Applied Engineering - Process Automation Concentration
Wichita State University
Wichita State University's BS in Applied Engineering with Process Automation Concentration is endorsed by the ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute. 120-credit program targeting Wichita aerospace automation careers. NIAR project work integrated into upper-division curriculum.
Tuition
$8,800/yr
Duration
48 mo
Format
On-campus
Accred.
Regionally accredited (HLC)
Hiring employers
Overall
66
of 100
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Why Kansas is a unique mechatronics engineering market
Kansas is the Air Capital of the World. About 40 percent of all general aviation aircraft built in the US come from the Wichita metro. Spirit AeroSystems is the largest commercial aerostructures manufacturer on the planet (12,000+ KS employees building Boeing 737 fuselages, Airbus components, plus military aerostructures). Textron Aviation builds Cessna and Beechcraft. Bombardier LearJet builds business jets. Together they create 40,000+ Wichita-metro aerospace jobs across the cluster.
Beyond aerospace, Kansas has the new $4 billion Panasonic Energy battery plant in DeSoto (Kansas City metro, ramping through 2027), GM Fairfax (Cadillac XT4 + Chevy Malibu assembly), Hill's Pet Nutrition Topeka, Cargill Wichita HQ, Goodyear Topeka, Great Plains Manufacturing Salina (ag-equipment), plus broader food-processing and ag-equipment manufacturing across rural Kansas. The mechatronics-engineering demand is diversified across aerospace, EV battery, ag-equipment, and general manufacturing.
WSU + the NIAR Robotics and Automation Lab
Wichita State University runs both undergraduate mechatronics BS programs in coordination with the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), one of the largest US university-based aerospace research operations. NIAR's Robotics and Automation Lab gives WSU mechatronics students access to industry-grade equipment (Allen-Bradley PLCs, FANUC and ABB robots, collaborative robots, motion control systems) plus active research projects on aerospace assembly automation funded by Spirit AeroSystems and other aerospace OEMs.
The BSET-Mechatronics is the ABET-ETAC accredited path with formal 2+2 articulation from WSU Tech AAS programs. The BS in Applied Engineering with Process Automation Concentration is the newer (HLC-accredited, not ABET) path with broader applied-engineering content and ARM Institute endorsement. Both feed Spirit AeroSystems hiring directly. ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute endorsement matters in the broader US manufacturing industry but doesn't replace ABET accreditation for licensure paths.
K-State Salina + Great Plains Manufacturing Scholars
Kansas State University's Salina campus runs the BS in Engineering Technology with Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology option as an ABET-ETAC accredited program. What makes it distinctive is the Great Plains Manufacturing Scholars Program: a structured partnership with Great Plains Manufacturing (a major Salina-based ag-equipment manufacturer) that covers approximately 85 percent of tuition through paid work at the Great Plains factory.
Net out-of-pocket cost runs around $1,500-$2,000/year for scholars in the program. You graduate with 4 years of paid full-time engineering work experience already on the resume. Most scholars convert to full-time Great Plains Manufacturing roles after graduation. For students targeting central Kansas ag-equipment manufacturing specifically, this is one of the better economic outcomes available in US mechatronics education.
Top Kansas employers hiring mechatronics engineers
Spirit AeroSystems (Wichita)
12,000+ employees. Largest commercial aerostructures manufacturer in the world. WSU is the primary engineering pipeline.
Textron Aviation (Wichita: Cessna + Beechcraft)
About 6,500 Wichita employees. Cessna business jets and Beechcraft trainer aircraft. Heavy aerospace mechatronics-engineering hiring.
Bombardier LearJet (Wichita)
About 1,300 Wichita employees. Specialty business jet manufacturing.
Panasonic Energy DeSoto (Kansas City metro, new)
$4 billion EV battery plant ramping through 2027. About 4,000 direct jobs at full capacity. Battery cell production primarily for Tesla.
GM Fairfax (Kansas City KS)
Cadillac XT4 and Chevrolet Malibu assembly. About 2,500 employees.
Great Plains Manufacturing (Salina)
Agricultural equipment manufacturer. K-State Salina Scholars Program direct pipeline. Central KS ag-equipment automation.
Cargill (Wichita HQ + statewide plants), Hill's Pet Nutrition, Frito-Lay, Goodyear
The broader Kansas food-processing and consumer-products manufacturing base.
Mechatronics engineer salary in Kansas
- Mechanical Engineers (SOC 17-2141) in KS: median around $84,000 to $93,000.
- Engineers, All Other (SOC 17-2199, includes mechatronics) in KS: median around $92,000 to $102,000.
- Electrical Engineers (SOC 17-2071) in KS: median around $95,000 to $105,000.
- Entry-level BS graduates typically start around $65,000 to $78,000. Spirit AeroSystems, Textron, Bombardier, GM Fairfax, and Panasonic DeSoto pay at the upper end.
- Cost of living in Kansas runs around 90 percent of US average. Strong purchasing-power outcomes.
Paying for a Kansas mechatronics bachelor's
- WSU in-state tuition: around $8,800/year. Four-year total around $35,000.
- K-State Salina in-state tuition: around $10,500/year. Great Plains Scholars covers ~85 percent.
- Pittsburg State in-state tuition: around $8,500/year.
- Kansas Comprehensive Grant: state need-based aid for KS residents.
- Federal Pell Grants: up to $7,395/year for eligible students.
- 2+2 transfer from WSU Tech: AAS at WSU Tech ($10,000 total) + 2 years at WSU ($17,600) = around $27,600 for the full BSET-Mechatronics.
- Employer scholarships: Spirit AeroSystems, Textron, Bombardier, and Great Plains Manufacturing all fund engineering scholarships at the named pipeline schools.
How we ranked Kansas mechatronics programs
Every program scored on our 7-factor methodology: accreditation (25 percent), program leadership (15 percent), pathways and laddering (15 percent), delivery format (15 percent), employer signal (15 percent), cost and affordability (10 percent), reputation (5 percent). See the full methodology breakdown. WSU BSET-Mechatronics scores highest on accreditation (ETAC), employer signal (Spirit AeroSystems direct pipeline), and pathways (2+2 WSU Tech articulation). K-State Salina scores highest on cost (Great Plains Scholars covers 85+ percent of tuition). Pittsburg State scores well on accreditation and regional placement. WSU Applied Engineering scores well on industry signal (ARM Institute endorsement) but lower on accreditation (no ABET).
Kansas mechatronics bachelor's: frequently asked questions
Which Kansas school has the best mechatronics bachelor's?
Is the Great Plains Scholars Program at K-State Salina really worth it?
What does a Kansas mechatronics engineer earn?
What's the difference between WSU's two BS programs?
Should I consider out-of-state programs if I'm in southwest KS?
Sources
- BLS OEWS for SOC 17-2141, 17-2199, 17-2071 in Kansas, May 2024 release.
- WSU BSET-Mechatronics.
- WSU BS Applied Engineering Process Automation.
- K-State Salina Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology.
- Pittsburg State BS MET-Automation Emphasis.
- Kansas Department of Commerce: state manufacturing employment data.
- ABET Accredited Program Search for KS engineering programs.
- HLC: Higher Learning Commission institutional accreditation.