Arkansas vs Kansas: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Kansas appears better suited to applicants who want a broader pool of scholarship opportunities, while Arkansas may fit applicants who prioritize a higher average award size among the listed scholarships. Applicants should also pay attention to the organizations with the most awards in each state, since those can signal where recurring opportunities are concentrated.
State A
Arkansas
State B
Kansas
Quick comparison
| Metric | Arkansas | Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 29 | 45 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $2,248 | $1,802 |
| Max indexed award | $6,000 | $9,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
For 2026, Kansas shows the larger scholarship opportunity volume in this comparison, with 48 listed grants versus 33 in Arkansas. Arkansas, however, has the higher average award size at 2,605.36, compared with 2,129.19 in Kansas. The maximum listed award is also higher in Arkansas at 15000, while Kansas reaches 10000.
In Arkansas, the strongest scholarship providers by listed grant count are Arkansas Cattlemen's Association, Arkansas Extension Homemakers Council, and Arkansas Rural Education Association. In Kansas, the most active organizations are Kansas Livestock Association, Order of the Eastern Star-Grand Chapter of Kansas, Johnson County Community College, and Kansas Board of Regents. For applicants, that means Kansas may feel broader and more varied, while Arkansas may feel more selective but potentially stronger on award size per scholarship.
The practical takeaway is to match your search strategy to the state climate. If you want more total opportunities to apply for, Kansas has the edge in the available data. If you are targeting larger average awards, Arkansas stands out. In both states, applicants should prioritize the organizations with the highest grant counts because they may offer the most repeatable paths to funding.
Top Scholarship Providers in Arkansas
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 4 grants
- 2 grants
- 2 grants
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
Top Scholarship Providers in Kansas
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 5 grants
- 4 grants
- 3 grants
- 3 grants
- 2 grants
Match workspace
Find scholarships that fit your profile
Scholarship climate by state
Arkansas
Arkansas feels smaller in total scholarship volume but stronger on average award size, which may appeal to applicants willing to target a narrower set of opportunities with potentially higher value.
Kansas
Kansas feels broader and more opportunity-rich, which may suit applicants who want more scholarships to pursue even if the average award size is lower than in Arkansas.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateArkansas
Median household income
$59,954
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$912
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
19.17/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$43,630
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 52.45 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
ADI band
higher indicator band
ADI counties
75
County health data
75
- ADI block-group data is available across 75 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
- County health public data is available for 75 counties; use it alongside cost, school, and scholarship details.
Kansas
Median household income
$74,984
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$914
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
20.85/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$48,010
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 37.24 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
lower indicator band
ADI band
higher indicator band
SVI counties
105
ADI counties
105
- CDC SVI county data is available for 105 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 105 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
Which state has more scholarship opportunities in the available data?
Which state has the higher average scholarship amount?
Which state has the higher maximum scholarship amount?
Who are the strongest scholarship organizations in each state?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- Arkansas and Kansas scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Arkansas and Kansas.
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