2027 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Missouri

[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for higher education/higher education administration students.
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2027 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the higher education/higher education administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
For return on investment in higher education/higher education administration, no school beat University Of Central Missouri this year. Set in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,050 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $18,600. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $24,304 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $51,420 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri St Louis is a great value for students pursuing a degree in higher education/higher education administration, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $15,120 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Students borrow a median of $25,943 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $54,832. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 63%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeast Missouri State University earned it the #3 place for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Cape Girardeau, Southeast Missouri State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,903. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $23,289. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $46,212. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Southeast Missouri State University admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Northwest Missouri State University, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $10,611 in tuition and fees, compared with $17,324 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $23,585. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $42,939. That is a strong return on a $23,585 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Missouri State University Springfield, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,502 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Students borrow a median of $24,408 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $47,570. That is a strong return on a $24,408 median debt. Missouri State University Springfield admits about 90% of applicants.
Lindenwood University placed #6 among the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Charles. Students from in state pay about $21,600 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $28,663 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Lindenwood University earn a median of $56,609 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lindenwood University admits about 57% of applicants.
University Of Missouri Columbia placed #7 among the best values for higher education/higher education administration. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $21,818 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $66,860. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Maryville University Of Saint Louis placed #8 among the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $27,166. Students borrow a median of $24,499 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Maryville University Of Saint Louis earn a median of $78,452 early in their careers. Set against $24,499 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Louis University Main Campus landed the #9 spot for higher education/higher education administration value this year. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,760. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $26,586. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Saint Louis University Main Campus earn a median of $64,822 early in their careers. Set against $26,586 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri Baptist University came in at #10 for value in higher education/higher education administration this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Missouri Baptist University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $33,122. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $27,337 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $51,409. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 69% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 10 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.