Founded in 1887, McPherson College is a private, residential, four-year, career-oriented liberal arts college. The college’s mission is to develop whole persons through scholarship, participation, and service. This mission leads the college to stress on-campus residency for traditional-age students as a means for encouraging participation and community involvement. The college offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in 25 academic majors and a Master of Education degree with emphases in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) or high-incidence Special Education. In pursuit of its mission to educate whole persons, McPherson has a reputation for integrating excellent academic programs with career-preparation.
McPherson is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, competing in seven intercollegiate sports for men and eight intercollegiate sports for women and two co-ed teams. The teaching faculty includes 53 full-time professors, 64% of whom hold terminal degrees. A 15:1 student-faculty ratio offers a personalized education tailored to students’ needs. With 37 percent students of color, 33 percent women, more than 74 percent of students from out-of-state, and an international population now around 6 percent, McPherson is a vibrant community of learners consisting of rural and urban students and a wide variety of ethnic and faith backgrounds.
McPherson College is affiliated with the Church of the Brethren but is independent of the denomination and welcomes faculty and students from all faith traditions. The college values its roots in the church and nurtures them, striving as an institution to model the Brethren values of ethical behavior, simple lifestyles, non-violence and peace, respect for the environment and all living creatures, and the expression of faith through service. In 2024-2025, the McPherson College Athletic Department was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by the McPherson YMCA and McPherson Recreation Commission.