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Kansas vs Kentucky: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Kentucky appears better suited to applicants prioritizing a larger overall pool of scholarships and a slightly higher average award size. Kansas may fit applicants who want a somewhat smaller market but still have access to multiple active scholarship providers and a comparable top award ceiling.

State vs State

State A

Kansas

State B

Kentucky

Quick comparison

MetricKansasKentucky
Active scholarships in catalog4552
Avg. award (where known)$1,802$2,551
Max indexed award$9,000$10,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

Kansas and Kentucky both offer meaningful scholarship opportunities for applicants in 2026, but the climates differ in scale. Kansas shows 48 scholarships with an average award of $2,129.19 and a maximum listed award of $10,000. Kentucky shows 56 scholarships with an average award of $2,446.94 and the same maximum listed award of $10,000.

On opportunity volume, Kentucky has the broader market, which can feel advantageous for students seeking more total options. On average award size, Kentucky also leads, suggesting somewhat stronger typical funding per scholarship. Kansas remains competitive for applicants who want a solid statewide pool without a major drop-off in award ceiling.

Among the strongest listed scholarship providers in Kansas are Kansas Livestock Association with 5 scholarships, Order of the Eastern Star-Grand Chapter of Kansas with 4, and both Johnson County Community College and Kansas Board of Regents with 3 each. In Kentucky, the leading listed providers include Kentucky 4-H Foundation, Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, The Race for Education, and Women Leading Kentucky, each with 3 scholarships.

For applicants comparing states, Kentucky currently looks slightly stronger on both breadth and average award value, while Kansas still offers a viable scholarship environment anchored by several active organizations and institutions.

Top Scholarship Providers in Kansas

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Top Scholarship Providers in Kentucky

Ranked by number of active scholarships

View all scholarships

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Scholarship climate by state

Kansas

Kansas feels like a moderate-size scholarship market: enough variety to support a focused search, with a $10,000 top award and several active in-state providers, but fewer total opportunities and a lower average award than Kentucky.

Kentucky

Kentucky feels broader and a bit more applicant-friendly on paper, with more total scholarships, a higher average award, and several organizations tied for the most active provider presence.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

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.

Kentucky

Median household income

$63,680

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$927

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

19.60/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$46,920

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 20.29 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

middle indicator band

ADI band

higher indicator band

SVI counties

120

ADI counties

120

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 120 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 120 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 2026?
Kentucky has more listed scholarships, with 56 compared with 48 in Kansas.
Which state has the higher average scholarship award?
Kentucky has the higher average listed award at $2,446.94, while Kansas averages $2,129.19.
Do Kansas and Kentucky have different top scholarship ceilings?
No. Both states show a maximum listed scholarship amount of $10,000.
Who are the strongest listed scholarship providers in each state?
In Kansas, the most active listed provider is Kansas Livestock Association with 5 scholarships, followed by Order of the Eastern Star-Grand Chapter of Kansas with 4. In Kentucky, Kentucky 4-H Foundation, Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, The Race for Education, and Women Leading Kentucky each list 3 scholarships.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

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Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Kansas and Kentucky.

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