State Rankings

Best Colleges in Missouri

Top colleges in Missouri ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50

Avg grad earnings: $48,724

Public / Private: 25 / 25

Top Colleges in Missouri

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	WashU (St. Louis) St. Louis#12 national	Private	$86,182	12.0%	1,530	94.5%	$62,982
2	Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla#160 national	Public	$82,957	73.1%	1,287	63.6%	$31,678
3	University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia#198 national	Public	$63,403	77.0%	1,247	76.2%	$34,338
4	Rockhurst University Kansas City#218 national	Private	$67,102	69.0%	1,218	75.6%	$43,420
5	Cox College Springfield#298 national	Private	$56,867	71.4%	N/A	100.0%	$15,599
6	Saint Louis University Saint Louis#321 national	Private	$70,783	81.5%	1,326	79.8%	$53,244
7	Truman State University Kirksville#372 national	Public	$56,280	80.0%	1,249	68.4%	$17,870
8	William Jewell College Liberty#393 national	Private	$59,268	34.3%	1,114	61.6%	$19,890
9	Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis#429 national	Private	$62,105	93.7%	N/A	71.5%	$27,166
10	University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City#451 national	Public	$59,637	75.0%	1,230	55.9%	$28,788
11	College of the Ozarks Point Lookout#524 national	Private	$41,592	14.9%	1,125	61.3%	$21,290
12	University of Missouri-St Louis Saint Louis#594 national	Public	$53,037	57.2%	1,147	56.9%	$33,432
13	Webster University Saint Louis#719 national	Private	$50,876	58.0%	1,145	61.1%	$30,730
14	State Technical College of Missouri Linn#735 national	Public	$55,901	N/A	N/A	N/A	$14,100
15	Evangel University Springfield#846 national	Private	$46,573	69.3%	N/A	64.8%	$27,192
16	Lindenwood University Saint Charles#862 national	Private	$53,278	65.9%	1,120	50.3%	$21,100
17	Ranken Technical College Saint Louis#970 national	Private	$55,955	N/A	N/A	50.6%	$17,490
18	Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield#976 national	Public	$49,827	91.0%	1,119	57.3%	$17,928
19	St Charles Community College Cottleville#1030 national	Public	$42,422	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,664
20	Northwest Missouri State University Maryville#1093 national	Public	$47,885	85.9%	1,090	57.5%	$16,623
21	University of Central Missouri Warrensburg#1098 national	Public	$49,560	68.6%	1,090	49.4%	$18,064
22	Drury University Springfield#1140 national	Private	$40,694	58.9%	1,212	66.0%	$35,235
23	Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau#1238 national	Public	$44,030	78.5%	1,018	55.7%	$9,496
24	Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City#1252 national	Public	$40,796	N/A	N/A	N/A	$9,600
25	Westminster College Fulton#1303 national	Private	$52,199	77.6%	1,083	57.5%	$34,188
26	Jefferson College Hillsboro#1313 national	Public	$40,782	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,100
27	Avila University Kansas City#1326 national	Private	$52,773	59.5%	942	42.6%	$38,672
28	Urshan University Wentzville#1570 national	Private	N/A	83.9%	1,035	55.0%	$8,506
29	North Central Missouri College Trenton#1577 national	Public	$40,837	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,250
30	Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City#1615 national	Private	$37,032	60.4%	N/A	64.9%	$43,550
31	Fontbonne University Saint Louis#1688 national	Private	$48,825	95.0%	N/A	56.8%	$28,976
32	Ozark Christian College Joplin#1705 national	Private	$41,297	98.2%	N/A	67.9%	$15,550
33	Moberly Area Community College Moberly#1729 national	Public	$37,537	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,370
34	Crowder College Neosho#1815 national	Public	$35,987	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,280
35	William Woods University Fulton#1840 national	Private	$42,401	74.5%	N/A	57.0%	$28,860
36	Park University Parkville#1882 national	Private	$56,309	N/A	N/A	30.0%	$16,400
37	Missouri State University-West Plains West Plains#1906 national	Public	$36,922	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,630
38	Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis#1919 national	Private	$46,660	64.1%	983	48.2%	$33,122
39	State Fair Community College Sedalia#1977 national	Public	$35,562	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,248
40	Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette#2017 national	Private	$48,991	87.9%	1,090	52.5%	$27,140
41	East Central College Union#2043 national	Public	$36,916	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,984
42	Columbia College Columbia#2118 national	Private	$45,378	N/A	N/A	45.7%	$24,326
43	Mineral Area College Park Hills#2155 national	Public	$35,352	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,090
44	Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph#2249 national	Public	$42,647	N/A	N/A	39.8%	$17,500
45	Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff#2251 national	Public	$32,442	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,090
46	Culver-Stockton College Canton#2287 national	Private	$46,092	98.0%	1,020	50.2%	$29,915
47	Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield#2382 national	Public	$36,455	N/A	N/A	31.9%	$6,872
48	Missouri Southern State University Joplin#2383 national	Public	$42,620	97.4%	1,090	38.3%	$16,800
49	Southwest Baptist University Bolivar#2394 national	Private	$43,112	99.7%	1,084	51.2%	$28,320
50	Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton#2414 national	Public	$35,325	N/A	N/A	17.7%	$6,990

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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