PlainCollege

State profile · 141 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in Missouri

Colleges in Missouri from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

141
Colleges
$43,554
Avg 10-yr earnings (120 of 141)
75.6%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

Missouri · the picture in one line

Missouri's 120 of 141 colleges that report earnings average $43,554 in 10-year former-student earnings - 29th highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#29
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$137,047
top earnings - University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
75.6%
avg acceptance (60 reporting)
41 / 58 / 42
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Missouri colleges with reported figures: Missouri University of Science and Technology.

Missouri · enrollment ≠ earnings

In Missouri, University of Missouri-Columbia leads by undergraduate enrollment (23,929 students, #1 of 115) but ranks #9 of 115 on 10-year median earnings ($63,403), while University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis tops earnings at $137,047 (#1 of 115) with 337 students (#62 of 115). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

23,929
University of enrollment #1
$137,047
University of earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#9
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of Missouri's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows University of Missouri-Columbia is largest by enrollment; University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis leads on 10-year earnings at $137,047.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in Missouri returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Missouri as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in Missouri by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Missouri

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

Missouri colleges: earnings vs. cost

Missouri colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Missouri colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $30K $90K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $5K $26K Avg Net Price ($) University of Missouri-Columbia: $63K earn · $20K net · 76% grad University of Miss… Missouri State University-Springfield: $50K earn · $18K net · 58% grad Missouri State Uni… Saint Louis Community College: $35K earn · $8K net · 19% grad Saint Louis Commun… Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City: $41K earn · $8K net · 31% grad Metropolitan Commu… Ozarks Technical Community College: $36K earn · $7K net · 32% grad Ozarks Technical C… Washington University in St Louis: $86K earn · $22K net · 94% grad Washington Univers… Saint Louis University: $71K earn · $24K net · 80% grad University of Missouri-Kansas City: $60K earn · $13K net · 56% grad Southeast Missouri State University: $44K earn · $16K net · 57% grad Maryville University of Saint Louis: $62K earn · $22K net · 69% grad University of Central Missouri: $50K earn · $14K net · 52% grad Missouri University of Science and Technology: $83K earn · $16K net · 64% grad University of Missouri-St Louis: $53K earn · $15K net · 57% grad St Charles Community College: $42K earn · $6K net · 24% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Missouri ranks among the states

Missouri's average 10-year earnings of $43,554 place it in the 50th percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Missouri: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$43,554 Top 50% higher than 50% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). Below this entry. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). This entry sits in this band. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. MO $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Missouri vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Missouri

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - Missouri

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
141
Total Schools
$17,761
Avg In-State Tuition (81 of 141)
75.6%
Avg Acceptance Rate (60 of 141)
$43,554
Avg Median Earnings (120 of 141)
41 Public 58 Private NP 42 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Missouri

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 141 postsecondary institutions in Missouri. The ownership mix is 41 public institutions, 58 private nonprofits, and 42 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 81 of 141 Missouri institutions that report one is $17,761, and the average admission rate among the 60 that report one sits at 75.6%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 120 of 141 Missouri colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $43,554, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in Missouri

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia Public 23,929 78.5% $63,403
Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield Public 13,313 90.5% $49,827
Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton Public 11,788 - $35,325
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City Public 10,649 - $40,796
Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield Public 8,165 - $36,455
Washington University in St Louis St. Louis Private NP 7,857 12.1% $86,182
Saint Louis University Saint Louis Private NP 7,267 75.0% $70,783
University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City Public 6,817 72.2% $59,637
Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau Public 6,373 73.5% $44,030
Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis Private NP 5,658 95.1% $62,105
University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Public 5,648 63.8% $49,560
Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla Public 5,521 72.5% $82,957
University of Missouri-St Louis Saint Louis Public 5,024 62.7% $53,037
St Charles Community College Cottleville Public 5,017 - $42,422
Columbia College Columbia Private NP 4,950 - $45,378
Lindenwood University Saint Charles Private NP 4,624 56.8% $53,278
Park University Parkville Private NP 4,555 - $56,309
Northwest Missouri State University Maryville Public 4,378 86.1% $47,885
Moberly Area Community College Moberly Public 3,100 - $37,537
Missouri Southern State University Joplin Public 3,019 97.0% $42,620
State Fair Community College Sedalia Public 2,694 - $35,562
Crowder College Neosho Public 2,570 - $35,987
Jefferson College Hillsboro Public 2,552 - $40,782
Truman State University Kirksville Public 2,513 83.8% $56,280
Webster University Saint Louis Private NP 2,304 86.2% $50,876
Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph Public 2,219 - $42,647
State Technical College of Missouri Linn Public 2,123 - $55,901
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies Fayette Private NP 2,092 87.5% $48,991
Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff Public 1,844 - $32,442
Ranken Technical College Saint Louis Private NP 1,780 - $55,955
East Central College Union Public 1,639 - $36,916
Mineral Area College Park Hills Public 1,592 - $35,352
Rockhurst University Kansas City Private NP 1,580 69.6% $67,102
Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis Private NP 1,488 68.6% $46,660
College of the Ozarks Point Lookout Private NP 1,444 12.0% $41,592
Missouri Valley College Marshall Private NP 1,443 69.2% $43,221
Lincoln University Jefferson City Public 1,392 - $39,463
Drury University Springfield Private NP 1,383 57.6% $40,694
Southwest Baptist University Bolivar Private NP 1,341 68.4% $43,112
Avila University Kansas City Private NP 1,312 87.8% $52,773
William Woods University Fulton Private NP 1,300 71.0% $42,401
North Central Missouri College Trenton Public 1,286 - $40,837
Evangel University Springfield Private NP 1,229 71.6% $46,573
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette Private NP 1,040 56.9% $48,991
Missouri State University-West Plains West Plains Public 965 - $36,922
Harris-Stowe State University Saint Louis Public 960 - $31,088
William Jewell College Liberty Private NP 924 38.4% $59,268
Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City Private NP 812 54.8% $37,032
Culver-Stockton College Canton Private NP 807 99.1% $46,092
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City Private NP 747 96.4% $50,535
Westminster College Fulton Private NP 638 79.2% $52,199
Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies Springfield Private NP 632 - $40,694
Pinnacle Career Institute Kansas City For-Profit 619 - $34,213
Ozark Christian College Joplin Private NP 602 93.6% $41,297
Cox College Springfield Private NP 540 100.0% $56,867
Urshan University Wentzville Private NP 472 83.8% -
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing Saint Louis Private NP 446 - $84,393
Hannibal-LaGrange University Hannibal Private NP 410 72.6% $42,643
St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton Fenton For-Profit 399 80.0% $32,217
Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri Springfield For-Profit 396 - $33,601
Stephens College Columbia Private NP 391 77.2% $43,071
Mission University Springfield Private NP 381 - $38,641
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis Saint Louis Private NP 337 89.8% $137,047
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield Springfield For-Profit 297 - $25,931
Chamberlain University-Missouri St. Louis For-Profit 284 100.0% $92,405
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield Springfield For-Profit 275 - $25,129
City Vision University Kansas City Private NP 257 - $21,123
Cottey College Nevada Private NP 254 69.2% $35,422
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City Kansas City For-Profit 253 - $40,743
Evangel University-College of Online Learning Springfield Private NP 240 49.2% $46,573
Logan University Chesterfield Private NP 229 64.3% $55,838
Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis St. Louis For-Profit 214 - $33,132
WellSpring School of Allied Health-Kansas City Kansas City For-Profit 208 - $29,839
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences Cape Girardeau Private NP 200 100.0% $60,918
Concorde Career College-Kansas City Kansas City For-Profit 198 96.3% $35,242
Grabber School of Hair Design St. Louis For-Profit 182 - $27,109
Midwest Institute Earth City For-Profit 177 87.2% $30,414
Research College of Nursing Kansas City For-Profit 177 - $85,910
Applied Tech Sunset Hills Public 172 40.7% $56,508
Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center Cape Girardeau Public 159 - $44,369
Summit Salon Academy Kansas City Independence For-Profit 157 - $24,811
Calvary University Kansas City Private NP 154 71.7% $45,421
Central Christian College of the Bible Moberly Private NP 154 - $34,675
American Trade School Saint Ann For-Profit 154 - $47,161
St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis Saint Louis For-Profit 153 - $32,217
Bryan University Springfield For-Profit 144 - $28,725
Bolivar Technical College Bolivar Private NP 144 95.5% -
The Salon Professional Academy-St Charles St. Charles For-Profit 132 - $34,900
Arizona College of Nursing-St Louis Maryland Heights For-Profit 131 100.0% $34,657
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Blue Springs Blue Springs For-Profit 109 - $24,840
Paul Mitchell the School-Missouri Columbia Columbia For-Profit 107 - $27,715
Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics Jefferson City For-Profit 97 - $26,738
Texas County Technical College Houston For-Profit 96 100.0% $40,843
SPBK Enterprises Inc Webb City For-Profit 96 - -
Franklin Technology Center Adult Education Joplin Public 91 - $36,700
Southern Missouri Technical Institute West Plains Public 90 - $31,460
WellSpring School of Allied Health-Springfield Springfield For-Profit 90 - $29,839
Stevens-The Institute of Business & Arts Saint Louis For-Profit 89 100.0% $29,058
Evangel University-James River Assembly of God Church Ozark Private NP 89 74.1% $46,573
Skin Institute Saint Louis For-Profit 88 - $23,524
Renaissance Beauty Academy Cape Girardeau For-Profit 66 - -
Grand River Technical School Chillicothe Public 65 88.4% $40,665
Trend Setters School Cape Girardeau For-Profit 65 - $23,185
Central College of Cosmetology Saint Robert For-Profit 61 - $22,821
House of Heavilin Beauty College-Kansas City Kansas City For-Profit 55 - $17,269
Academy of Salon Professionals Sedalia For-Profit 50 - -
Neosho Beauty and Barber College Neosho For-Profit 47 - $18,280
Conception Seminary College Conception Private NP 40 31.8% $50,430
New Dimensions School Joplin For-Profit 38 - $28,050
Pike-Lincoln Technical Center Eolia Public 32 - $48,581
Salem College of Hairstyling Rolla For-Profit 31 - $18,275
Warrensburg Area Career Center Warrensburg Public 31 100.0% $37,242
Academy of Beauty Professionals Raymore For-Profit 31 - $25,117
Ea La Mar's Cosmetology & Barber College Kansas City For-Profit 31 - -
Four Rivers Career Center Washington Public 30 - $48,199
Aesthetics Institute St. Louis For-Profit 28 - -
Waynesville Career Center Waynesville Public 27 - $40,979
Cass Career Center Harrisonville Public 27 100.0% $52,545
Carthage R9 School District-Carthage Technical Center Carthage Public 26 - -
Concorde Career College-Broadway Kansas City For-Profit 26 100.0% $35,242
Lex La-Ray Technical Center Lexington Public 25 66.7% $52,142
Saline County Career Center Marshall Public 23 50.0% $37,200
Kirksville Area Technical Center Kirksville Public 22 61.5% $40,517
Evolve Beauty Academy Washington For-Profit 16 - -
St. Louis Med Tech St. Louis Private NP 12 - -
Aquinas Institute of Theology Saint Louis Private NP - - -
Concordia Seminary Saint Louis Private NP - - -
Covenant Theological Seminary Saint Louis Private NP - - -
Eden Theological Seminary Webster Groves Private NP - - -
Kenrick Glennon Seminary Saint Louis Private NP - - -
A T Still University of Health Sciences Kirksville Private NP - - -
Nazarene Theological Seminary Kansas City Private NP - - -
Kansas City University Kansas City Private NP - - -
Urshan Graduate School of Theology Wentzville Private NP - - -
Ponce Health Sciences University-St Louis St. Louis For-Profit - - -
Graceland University - Independence Independence Private NP - - $47,361
Old Town Barber College - KC Kansas City For-Profit - - $21,295
Columbia College - Fort Leonard Wood Fort Leonard Wood Private NP - - $45,378
Columbia College - Lake Ozark Osage Beach Private NP - - $45,378
Columbia College - Whiteman AFB Whiteman AFB Private NP - - $45,378
Kansas City University-Joplin Joplin Private NP - - -

Featured Colleges in Missouri

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
23,929 students
Missouri State University-Springfield
Springfield, MO
13,313 students
Saint Louis Community College
Bridgeton, MO
11,788 students
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO
10,649 students
Ozarks Technical Community College
Springfield, MO
8,165 students
Compare University of Missouri-Columbia vs Missouri State University-Springfield →

Explore more Missouri data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Missouri applicants

  • Missouri has 141 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Missouri colleges is 75.6% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.