About five minutes away from Junction City is Fort Riley, named after the Army general who led the first expedition along the Santa Fe Trail. True to its setting, Barton Community College particularly caters to people stationed at this U.S. Army installation. The community college offers more than 120 associate's degrees. They include subject areas as diverse as agriculture, communications, cytotechnology, hazardous materials management, mortuary science, technology accounting specialist and wildlife science.
Although it is headquartered in Concordia, about an hour's drive away, Cloud County Community College (CCCC) has a campus in Junction City called the Geary Campus. CCCC is home to almost 60 certificate and associate programs, including anthropology, chiropractic, forestry, occupational therapy, radio broadcasting and wind energy technology.
About a 30-minute drive from Junction City is Manhattan, the area's biggest city. There Manhattan Area Technical College (MATC) serves city residents interested in training for jobs that require technical or manual labor skills. Its 14 diploma and associate's degree programs range in length from nine months to two years. Subject areas of study at MATC include automotive collision repair, computer-aided drafting and design, dental hygiene and welding technology.
Manhattan Christian College (MCC), in Manhattan, aims to provide a learning environment for Christians in particular. Students can enroll in religious service-related bachelor's degrees that include Christian education, youth ministry and preaching missions. MCC also offers programs in secular subject areas, including horticulture, kinesiology, and hotel and restaurant management.