Founded in 1858, Baker holds the distinction of being the first four-year university in Kansas. More than 165 years later, the university continues to pair its historic character with a student-centered approach to education. Baker offers programs across the liberal arts and sciences as well as professionally focused fields, with opportunities for students to learn through research, internships, field experiences, leadership, and other forms of experiential learning.
One of Baker's most distinctive resources is the Baker University Wetlands, a 927-acre natural area near Lawrence encompassing wetlands, prairie, open water, and riparian habitat. The Wetlands serve as a living laboratory where students can participate in fieldwork, research, conservation, and environmental education while studying one of Kansas's most diverse natural environments.
Baker has also earned recognition for the outcomes of its graduates. The university reports the highest return on investment among private colleges in Kansas, based on research from Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce, and says its graduates earn the highest average salaries among Kansas universities. These outcomes reflect Baker's longstanding emphasis on combining rigorous academics with meaningful mentorship and career preparation.
Rooted in a tradition that began with Methodist founders on the Kansas frontier, Baker continues to emphasize education, community, service, and preparing students to make meaningful contributions beyond the classroom. Its combination of history, personal attention, experiential learning, and strong student outcomes makes Baker a natural addition to the SAGE Scholars College Consortium.
SAGE Scholars is proud to welcome Baker University to its consortium of private colleges and universities and looks forward to connecting Tuition Rewards families with all that Baker has to offer.
Baker University
For more than 165 years, Baker University has combined the personal feel of a close-knit college with the academic opportunities and career preparation students need to thrive after graduation. Founded in 1858 as the first university in Kansas, Baker has built its identity around liberal arts education, individualized attention, leadership, service, and student success.
Located in the picturesque community of Baldwin City, about 45 miles west of Kansas City and 12 miles south of Lawrence, Baker offers students a traditional residential college experience in a historic, park-like setting.
Baker graduates have gone on to successful careers as writers, scientists, explorers, teachers, business professionals, performers, politicians, academicians, visionaries, trendsetters, and more. Four graduates have been named Rhodes Scholars and one has earned a Pulitzer Prize. Baker University has a rich history within intimate academic settings, filled with traditions, memories, and landmarks. In fact, three buildings on Baker's Baldwin City campus are on the National Register of Historic Places.
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