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Best colleges in Missouri, ranked by ROI

We rank all 71 Missouri institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $18,086/yr (above the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $43,071 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis leads, clearing its cost in 1.4 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$18,086
Median net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$43,071
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
8 yrs
Median payback
Our math, 2026
71
Colleges ranked
degreedividend.com
Missouri colleges by payback (best first)
#CollegeNet price/yrEarnings 10yPayback
1University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis$31,817$137,0471.4 yrs
2Missouri University of Science and Technology$16,298$82,9571.9 yrs
3Washington University in St Louis$21,786$86,1822.3 yrs
4Chamberlain University-Missouri$30,716$92,4052.8 yrs
5Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences$19,390$60,9183.1 yrs
6State Technical College of Missouri$15,190$55,9014 yrs
7Saint Louis University$24,398$70,7834.4 yrs
8University of Missouri-Kansas City$13,310$59,6374.7 yrs
9University of Missouri-Columbia$20,268$63,4035.4 yrs
10Rockhurst University$25,884$67,1025.5 yrs
11Maryville University of Saint Louis$22,066$62,1056.4 yrs
12William Jewell College$17,562$59,2686.4 yrs
13Truman State University$12,780$56,2806.5 yrs
14Ranken Technical College$18,795$55,9559.9 yrs
15Park University$21,032$56,30910.6 yrs
16Logan University$20,218$55,83810.8 yrs
17University of Missouri-St Louis$15,071$53,03712.9 yrs
18Avila University$16,053$52,77314.6 yrs
19Lindenwood University$19,638$53,27816 yrs
20Westminster College$24,314$52,19925.3 yrs
21Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary$23,006$50,53542.3 yrs
22Webster University$27,047$50,87643 yrs
23Missouri State University-Springfield$17,613$49,82748 yrs
24University of Central Missouri$14,462$49,56048.2 yrs
25Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies$14,601$48,99192.6 yrs
26Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences$22,766$48,991144.3 yrs
27Northwest Missouri State University$16,244$47,885no payback
28Evangel University$18,669$46,573no payback
29Evangel University-College of Online Learning$22,503$46,573no payback
30St Charles Community College$5,837$42,422no payback
31Culver-Stockton College$21,983$46,092no payback
32Missouri Baptist University$27,006$46,660no payback
33Southeast Missouri State University$15,882$44,030no payback
34Columbia College$22,715$45,378no payback
35College of the Ozarks$6,100$41,592no payback
36Missouri Southern State University$12,007$42,620no payback
37Jefferson College$7,378$40,782no payback
38Missouri Western State University$13,251$42,647no payback
39Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City$8,398$40,796no payback
40Missouri Valley College$18,086$43,221no payback
41North Central Missouri College$13,626$40,837no payback
42Southwest Baptist University$21,677$43,112no payback
43Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies$10,566$40,694no payback
44Stephens College$23,459$43,071no payback
45Hannibal-LaGrange University$22,814$42,643no payback
46Ozark Christian College$20,580$41,297no payback
47William Woods University$26,569$42,401no payback
48Moberly Area Community College$6,810$37,537no payback
49Drury University$20,831$40,694no payback
50Missouri State University-West Plains$9,750$36,922no payback
51Ozarks Technical Community College$6,936$36,455no payback
52Lincoln University$19,092$39,463no payback
53East Central College$13,128$36,916no payback
54Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City$26,815$40,743no payback
55Crowder College$9,023$35,987no payback
56State Fair Community College$7,985$35,562no payback
57Saint Louis Community College$8,440$35,325no payback
58Mission University$21,383$38,641no payback
59Mineral Area College$12,045$35,352no payback
60Cottey College$13,805$35,422no payback
61Three Rivers College$8,496$32,442no payback
62Kansas City Art Institute$27,650$37,032no payback
63St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton$24,395$32,217no payback
64Harris-Stowe State University$9,922$31,088no payback
65Pinnacle Career Institute$28,732$34,213no payback
66Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri$26,023$33,601no payback
67Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis$24,907$33,132no payback
68WellSpring School of Allied Health-Kansas City$14,277$29,839no payback
69Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield$16,926$25,931no payback
70Academy of Hair Design-Springfield$15,904$25,129no payback
71City Vision University$6,353$21,123no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Missouri: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Missouri?
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis. It charges $31,817/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $137,047 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 1.4 years — the fastest payback of the 71 Missouri colleges we track.
How much does college cost in Missouri?
The median net price across Missouri colleges is $18,086/yr after grants and scholarships — above the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.
What do Missouri college graduates earn?
A median $43,071 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.
How many Missouri colleges pay for themselves?
26 of the 71 Missouri colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.