From wheat fields to aircraft assembly lines, Kansas is cultivating a new kind of harvest: machine learning innovation. The Sunflower State’s traditional industries are experiencing a digital transformation, where century-old farming wisdom meets cutting-edge algorithms and aerospace precision merges with predictive analytics.
Some examples include:
- Garmin’s navigation and health analytics algorithms in Olathe, developing ML models for GPS systems and wearable technology
- AI-driven precision agriculture research at Kansas State University’s FarmsLab focusing on computer vision and crop optimization
- The University of Kansas’s Internet of Catalysis program is a multidisciplinary NSF research hub uniting data scientists with chemical engineers to design novel machine learning tools
- Wichita’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem leverages ML for predictive maintenance and quality control across 450+ aerospace companies including Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation
With machine learning job opportunities growing across Wichita’s aerospace corridor and Manhattan’s agricultural technology sector, ML skills are increasingly valuable in Kansas’s evolving economy. ML degrees from local schools will help you land the kinds of specialized roles that combine cutting-edge technology with Kansas’s agricultural and manufacturing heritage.
2026 Best Schools for Masters in Machine Learning Degrees in Kansas
Wichita State University
Wichita, KS - Public 4-Year - wichita.edu
Master's - Master of Science in Data Science
Campus Based - Visit Website
Wichita State University's Master of Science in Data Science equips students for careers in machine learning and AI through a campus-based curriculum emphasizing data mining and business analytics. Admission requires a bachelor's degree in a related field with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and the program may require an entrance exam such as the GRE, though specifics should be confirmed with the university. With 30 credit hours, students benefit from access to research facilities and industry collaborations in Wichita, KS, making it ideal for career advancement or doctoral preparation.
- Campus-based program.
- 30 credit hours required.
- Focus on AI, data mining.
- Minimum 3.0 GPA for admission.
- Bachelor's in related field needed.
- Access to top research facilities.
- Opportunities with industry professionals.
- Prepares for high-demand careers.
- Ideal for Ph.D. preparation.
- Located in Wichita, KS.
Kansas Schools Offering a Masters in Machine Learning Degree
Wichita, KS
Wichita State University
- Master's - Master of Science in Data Science
Campus Based - Website
- Campus-based program.
- 30 credit hours required.
- Focus on AI, data mining.
- Minimum 3.0 GPA for admission.
- Bachelor's in related field needed.
- Access to top research facilities.
- Opportunities with industry professionals.
- Prepares for high-demand careers.
Best Locations in Kansas for Machine Learning Careers
Wichita: Has 104+ machine learning job openings, home to over 450 aerospace companies including Spirit AeroSystems, Textron Aviation, and Boeing operations, specializing in AI applications for advanced manufacturing, predictive maintenance, and autonomous flight systems.
Lawrence: Benefits from University of Kansas’s innovation ecosystem and Garmin’s research partnerships, offering opportunities in wearable technology, GPS navigation algorithms, and digital health research requiring ML expertise for sensor data analysis and health monitoring applications.
Manhattan: Home to Kansas State University’s FarmsLab and the Agronomy Research and Innovation Center, focusing on precision agriculture AI applications, computer vision for crop monitoring, and machine learning for yield prediction and sustainable farming practices.
Overland Park/Kansas City Metro: Features growing tech companies and Garmin International’s headquarters, specializing in navigation technology, IoT applications, and location-based machine learning algorithms for automotive, aviation, and outdoor recreation markets.
The Machine Learning Job Market in Kansas
Kansas’s machine learning job market reflects a diverse ecosystem spanning from global consulting firms to innovative startups, offering exceptional opportunities for graduates with ML expertise. Based on recent job posts from sites like Indeed and Google Jobs, here’s and analysis of employers are seeking, organized by skillset and compensation levels.
Core Technical Skills in High Demand
Programming and Framework Mastery
EY in Wichita offers exceptional compensation of $124,300-$227,900 for AI/ML Manager roles, requiring 6-10 years of experience with strong Python skills and expertise in telecommunications, media, and technology sectors. They seek candidates capable of designing ML solutions that enhance network performance and customer experience, with deep knowledge of scikit-learn, PyTorch, and ONNX libraries.
Humana in Topeka provides $129,300-$177,800 for Senior Cognitive/ML Engineers, emphasizing 5+ years of Python development with machine learning frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn. They focus on developing generative AI solutions using Large Language Models and building robust APIs for Retrieval-Augmented Generation applications in healthcare.
Oracle in Kansas City offers $130,000-$150,000 for Senior ML Engineers in their AI Incubations team, requiring advanced machine learning algorithm expertise for developing innovative AI products that revolutionize industry applications.
Cloud Infrastructure and MLOps
S&P Global seeks GenAI ML/MLOps Engineering Leads with $108,000-$215,000 compensation, requiring 8+ years progressive experience and 5+ years with production-level Python/Scala code. They emphasize containerization, Kubernetes, cloud platforms, and distributed systems programming for building enterprise AI platforms.
Snowflake in Kansas City offers Principal AI/ML Architect positions requiring 8+ years of cloud-based ML experience, focusing on generative AI techniques like RAG, prompt engineering, and fine-tuning for enterprise applications.
American Century Investments provides $122,000-$256,000 for Data and ML Engineer Senior Specialists, requiring 5+ years AWS experience with services including S3, Lambda, EMR, and comprehensive data pipeline implementation expertise.
Entertainment and Media Applications
Content Recommendation Systems
Disney in Kansas City seeks Senior ML Engineers for Disney+ with competitive compensation, requiring 5+ years of production ML experience and specializing in content recommendation algorithms at scale. They focus on personalization, recommendation systems, and deploying full-stack ML pipelines for petabyte-scale datasets using technologies like Kafka, Spark, and Flink.
Wunderman Thompson offers Senior ML Engineer positions requiring PhD or Master’s degrees in Computer Science or AI, emphasizing collaboration with data scientists and software engineers to build scalable, production-ready ML pipelines for creative and marketing applications.
Specialized Domain Applications
Research and Scientific Computing
ResearchGate in Mission provides $125,000-$150,000 for ML Engineers supporting the scientific community, requiring 5+ years ML lifecycle experience with Python ecosystem expertise (pandas, PyTorch, scikit-learn, xgboost). They focus on developing ML models for tabular and natural language data to connect researchers globally.
Camgian in Lawton seeks AI Engineers for government and commercial decision support products, requiring 0-5 years experience with strong Python skills and AI/ML concepts. They emphasize computer vision, deep learning, and technologies like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and OpenCV for advanced applications.
Quality Assurance and Testing Innovation
AI-Enhanced QA Engineering
Deloitte in Kansas City offers $97,600-$200,600 for Quality Assurance Engineer AI/ML Managers, requiring 6+ years AI/ML engineering experience with 3+ years in Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and 2+ years in GenAI technologies. They seek candidates who can modernize quality engineering processes through AI/ML applications, combining traditional QA with cutting-edge automation.
Education and Experience Requirements
Advanced Degrees Emphasized
- EY: Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, or Physical Sciences preferred
- Wunderman Thompson: PhD or Master’s degree in Computer Science, ML, or AI required
- S&P Global: Bachelor’s degree required, advanced degrees preferred
- ResearchGate: Strong preference for advanced technical degrees
Experience Level Variations
- Entry Level: Camgian accepts 0-5 years with strong fundamentals
- Mid-Level: Disney, Humana, Oracle require 5+ years production experience
- Senior Level: EY, S&P Global seek 6-10+ years with leadership experience
- Leadership Roles: EY requires 2-4 years direct team management experience
Cross-Disciplinary Integration
Healthcare Technology
Humana represents the intersection of AI and healthcare, requiring knowledge of Large Language Models, API development with FastAPI/Flask, and experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) for healthcare applications including member data protection and HIPAA compliance.
Financial Services
American Century Investments combines ML with financial product datasets, requiring AWS certification, data modeling expertise, and experience in SSAE 16 controlled environments for investment management applications.
Telecommunications and Media
EY’s TMT sector focus requires familiarity with telecommunications protocols (5G, LTE), streaming video/audio technologies, customer segmentation, and churn prediction specifically tailored for media and telecommunications applications.
Quality Engineering Evolution
Deloitte demonstrates the evolution of QA engineering, requiring experience with test automation tools (TOSCA, Selenium, Gherkin) combined with GenAI technologies (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, LangChain) to modernize testing frameworks.
Compensation Analysis by Role Type
Leadership and Management Positions:
- EY: $124,300-$227,900 (Manager, TMT Sector)
- S&P Global: $108,000-$215,000 (GenAI ML/MLOps Lead)
- Deloitte: $97,600-$200,600 (QA Manager, AI/ML)
Senior Individual Contributor Roles:
- American Century: $122,000-$256,000 (Data & ML Engineer)
- Oracle: $130,000-$150,000 (Senior ML Engineer)
- Humana: $129,300-$177,800 (Senior Cognitive/ML Engineer)
Specialized Research Positions:
- ResearchGate: $125,000-$150,000 (ML Engineer, Scientific Computing)
- Disney: Competitive compensation for content recommendation systems
Key Industry Trends
Production-First Mentality: Kansas employers consistently emphasize production deployment experience. Oracle specifically seeks candidates who can “create innovative and scalable AI products,” while Disney requires experience with “petabyte-scale datasets” and real-world deployment.
GenAI Integration: Multiple employers (Humana, S&P Global, Deloitte) prioritize generative AI experience, particularly with Large Language Models, RAG systems, and prompt engineering techniques.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Senior roles increasingly require both technical excellence and leadership capabilities. EY seeks candidates who can “lead teams effectively and manage change,” while S&P Global emphasizes “distributed systems programming” and “AI/ML solutions architecture.”
Domain Specialization: Kansas employers value candidates who can apply ML expertise within specific industries—whether healthcare (Humana), financial services (American Century), entertainment (Disney), or telecommunications (EY).
Remote Work Flexibility: Most positions offer hybrid or remote work options, acknowledging Kansas’s geographic position while accessing global talent pools.
The Kansas ML market offers diverse opportunities for graduates with machine learning master’s degrees, particularly those who can demonstrate practical production experience, leadership potential, and the ability to apply ML solutions within specific business contexts. The state’s combination of global consulting presence, established corporations, and emerging tech companies creates a rich ecosystem for ML professionals seeking both technical challenges and career growth.