Best colleges for education in Missouri
University of Missouri-Columbia ranks first in Missouri for education value (#284 nationally, value score 47.1): graduates earn $44,681 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $21,142 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 18 Missouri colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best education colleges in Missouri
University of Missouri-Columbia ranks first in Missouri for education value (#284 nationally, value score 47.1): graduates earn $44,681 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $21,142 a year. 18 Missouri colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $39,072 and the average net price is $17,190 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 18 Missouri colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $39,072 and the average net price is $17,190 a year.
- The highest education earnings in the state are at Park University ($45,525), ranked #9 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Missouri Southern State University: $10,836 a year.
- Median earnings
- $39,072
- National: $48,822
- Median net price
- $17,190
- National: $17,201
- Median federal debt
- $21,250
- education graduates
- Public colleges
- 10 of 18
- in this list
18 colleges
The Missouri ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Earnings
- $44,681
- Net price
- $21,142
- Federal debt
- $15,219
- Graduation rate
- 77%
- Rank in Missouri 2
University of Missouri-St Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Public · #350 nationally
41.2Value- Earnings
- $38,980
- Net price
- $14,990
- Federal debt
- $15,000
- Graduation rate
- 62%
- Rank in Missouri 3
University of Missouri-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO · Public · #395 nationally
35.6Value- Earnings
- $41,228
- Net price
- $13,778
- Federal debt
- $20,125
- Graduation rate
- 56%
- Rank in Missouri 4
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO · Public · #427 nationally
31.8Value- Earnings
- $42,508
- Net price
- $16,120
- Federal debt
- $20,807
- Graduation rate
- 52%
- Earnings
- $45,411
- Net price
- $26,955
- Federal debt
- $21,250
- Graduation rate
- 58%
- Earnings
- $38,807
- Net price
- $15,554
- Federal debt
- $19,620
- Graduation rate
- 52%
- Rank in Missouri 7
Missouri State University-Springfield
Springfield, MO · Public · #464 nationally
27.0Value- Earnings
- $38,413
- Net price
- $17,270
- Federal debt
- $19,447
- Graduation rate
- 59%
- Rank in Missouri 8
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO · Public · #465 nationally
26.9Value- Earnings
- $37,245
- Net price
- $17,110
- Federal debt
- $19,400
- Graduation rate
- 61%
- Earnings
- $45,525
- Net price
- $19,119
- Federal debt
- $24,091
- Graduation rate
- 36%
- Earnings
- $39,419
- Net price
- $10,836
- Federal debt
- $24,000
- Graduation rate
- 39%
- Rank in Missouri 11
Jefferson City, MO · Public · #488 nationally
23.0Value- Earnings
- $36,835
- Net price
- $13,788
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 24%
- Rank in Missouri 12
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · #494 nationally
21.0Value- Earnings
- $42,112
- Net price
- $29,674
- Federal debt
- $25,074
- Graduation rate
- 79%
- Rank in Missouri 13
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
Fayette, MO · Private nonprofit · #497 nationally
20.6Value- Earnings
- $35,452
- Net price
- $16,532
- Federal debt
- $17,500
- Graduation rate
- 0%
- Rank in Missouri 14
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · #499 nationally
20.3Value- Earnings
- $39,331
- Net price
- $20,199
- Federal debt
- $25,000
- Graduation rate
- 62%
- Earnings
- $38,614
- Net price
- $19,152
- Federal debt
- $25,500
- Graduation rate
- 60%
- Rank in Missouri 16
Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, MO · Public · #509 nationally
17.0Value- Earnings
- $39,163
- Net price
- $16,379
- Federal debt
- $24,488
- Graduation rate
- 35%
- Rank in Missouri 17
Bolivar, MO · Private nonprofit · #519 nationally
12.1Value- Earnings
- $36,697
- Net price
- $21,174
- Federal debt
- $21,500
- Graduation rate
- 43%
- Rank in Missouri 18
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit · #520 nationally
8.2Value- Earnings
- $36,820
- Net price
- $27,032
- Federal debt
- $25,095
- Graduation rate
- 50%
Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about education colleges in Missouri
What are the best colleges for education in Missouri?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Missouri colleges for education are University of Missouri-Columbia (value score 47.1), University of Missouri-St Louis (value score 41.2) and University of Missouri-Kansas City (value score 35.6). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which Missouri college has the highest earnings for education graduates?
Park University: its education graduates have median earnings of $45,525 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable education college in Missouri on this list?
Missouri Southern State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Missouri colleges, $10,836 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many Missouri colleges are ranked for education?
18 Missouri colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Missouri.