Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in Missouri provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.
Tuition costs in Missouri fall below the national average, allowing students access to many affordable options. For example, at Missouri State University, the second largest public school, tuition fees are around $7,000. Students of actor John Goodman’s alma mater can major in fields like religious studies, history, and business, and even have the option of earning an associate degree in arts or a bachelor’s in business at the university’s sister school in China. Missouri also offers more than 40 private schools.
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Tuition and student populations vary greatly among these schools, but students who attend these higher education institutes also have the option to attend classes at other campuses. For example, Saint Louis University, a college with Jesuit roots, has campuses in both St. Louis and Madrid, Spain. Additionally, Missouri offers special loan forgiveness programs for nurses and other health professionals, including dentists, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians, who work in designated, high-need areas.
When you aren’t exploring one of its 6,000 caves, chowing down on some barbecue, or taking in a live jazz performance, Missouri can serve as the perfect place to begin a road trip. The Show Me State is bordered by eight other U.S. states, making it ideal for students love travelling and planning weekend getaways. During the week days, students can continue on their road to success by pursuing their degree at one of Missouri’s 72 higher education institutes.
See where Missouri’s many roads can take you while earning your degree at one this state’s top learning institutions.
Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.
Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.
This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 13 public universities in Missouri. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in Missouri, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
73%
Student body
26K
Median SAT/ACT
1215/26
University of Missouri’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
63%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1314/28
Missouri University of Science and Technology’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
57%
Student body
9K
Median SAT/ACT
1157/24
University of Missouri–Kansas City’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
61%
Graduation
72%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1205/27
Truman State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
86%
Graduation
52%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/21
Northwest Missouri State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
59%
Student body
17K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/24
Missouri State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
53%
Student body
8K
University of Central Missouri’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
58%
Student body
8K
Median SAT/ACT
1172/24
University of Missouri–St. Louis’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
54%
Student body
8K
Southeast Missouri State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
36%
Student body
3K
Missouri Western State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
37%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
975/21
Missouri Southern State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
26%
Student body
2K
Lincoln University, Missouri’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Graduation
19%
Student body
1K
Harris–Stowe State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.