Kansas State earns No. 3 ranking on Forbes' best employers in Kansas list, No. 5 in Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University has been ranked No. 3 on Forbes' list of best employers in Kansas, marking the highest ranking of any college or university in the state.

The university moved up three spots from last year, matching its No. 3 placement in 2023 and 2021. This is the third time in 2025 that Forbes has honored K-State for excellence as an employer.

In July, the university was ranked No. 3 on Forbes' list of America's Best Employers for Women, placing third out of 700 U.S. companies and first among 50 universities nationwide. Earlier this year, it was recognized as one of America's Best Midsize Employers, ranking No. 40 out of 498 companies.

"This recognition underscores K-State's ongoing commitment to becoming an employer of choice — one that empowers faculty and staff with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed and thrive," said Shanna Legleiter, chief human resources officer.

The achievements reflect K-State's commitment to being an employer of choice in Kansas and across higher education by fostering a people-centered culture that values well-being, satisfaction and engagement.

For the women's employer ranking, K-State was one of only three employers in Kansas to be included. AMC Entertainment in Leawood ranked 626 and Garmin in Olathe ranked 643.

In the midsize employers category, K-State was one of only 39 educational institutions on the list and the only one in Kansas. The America's Best Employers ranking is based on surveys from over 217,000 workers at companies with at least 1,000 employees across the country.

"Our faculty and staff are the heart of what we do at K-State," said Jay Stephens, vice president for Human Capital Services. "Making this a great place to work for everyone is always a priority."

The university's mission as an employer is to provide progressive, responsive and innovative solutions to attract, retain, develop and reward a highly talented, diverse and inclusive community that cultivates an environment where students and employees flourish, according to Stephens.

The recognition comes as K-State continues its efforts to become what officials call "the next-generation land-grant university."

K-State's College of Agriculture also earned recognition this year, moving up to No. 5 in Niche.com's annual list of the Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences. The college was ranked No. 7 in last year's rankings.

The agriculture ranking is determined through a combination of U.S. Department of Education data and millions of student and alumni reviews.

"We are proud to see K-State's College of Agriculture ranked in the top five nationally," said Dan Moser, the interim Eldon Gideon Dean of the College of Agriculture. "This distinction reflects the excellence of our faculty and staff, the achievements of our students and the forward-looking innovation that defines our program."

Layton Johnson, an agricultural education student, said the college provides a supportive learning environment where professors know students personally and care about their goals.

"One of the most valuable aspects of my time here has been the close-knit, supportive learning environment," Johnson said. "K-State doesn't just help us (as students) meet our goals — it pushes us to exceed them and step into roles that will shape the future of agriculture."

A centerpiece of the college's innovation is the Agriculture Innovation Initiative, which includes state-of-the-art facilities under construction across campus and strategies to attract top-tier faculty and researchers.

Niche.com's top five agriculture schools for 2025 are Cornell University, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Kansas State University.

K-State's College of Agriculture also earned recognition this year, moving up to No. 5 in Niche.com's annual list of the Best Colleges for Agricultural Sciences. The college was ranked No. 7 in last year's rankings.

The agriculture ranking is determined through a combination of U.S. Department of Education data and millions of student and alumni reviews.

"We are proud to see K-State's College of Agriculture ranked in the top five nationally," said Dan Moser, the interim Eldon Gideon Dean of the College of Agriculture. "This distinction reflects the excellence of our faculty and staff, the achievements of our students and the forward-looking innovation that defines our program."

Layton Johnson, an agricultural education student, said the college provides a supportive learning environment where professors know students personally and care about their goals.

"One of the most valuable aspects of my time here has been the close-knit, supportive learning environment," Johnson said. "K-State doesn't just help us (as students) meet our goals — it pushes us to exceed them and step into roles that will shape the future of agriculture."

A centerpiece of the college's innovation is the Agriculture Innovation Initiative, which includes state-of-the-art facilities under construction across campus and strategies to attract top-tier faculty and researchers.

Niche.com's top five agriculture schools for 2025 are Cornell University, Texas A&M University, University of Florida, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Kansas State University.