2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Missouri
[Engineering](/majors/engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 12 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering Schools
St Charles Community College tops our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools in Missouri. Set in the suburb of Cottleville, St Charles Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,810, with out-of-state students paying around $7,620. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $12,606. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from St Charles Community College generally make around $47,228. That is a strong return on a $12,606 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in engineering will find it at College Of The Ozarks, which ranked #2. College Of The Ozarks is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Point Lookout. In-state tuition and fees average $22,360. Engineering graduates of College Of The Ozarks earn a median of $37,944 early in their careers. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Metropolitan Community College Kansas City one of the best values for engineering. Located in the city of Kansas City, Metropolitan Community College Kansas City is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,630, while out-of-state students pay about $9,600. Engineering graduates carry a median of $12,281 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Metropolitan Community College Kansas City earn a median of $46,660 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Ozarks Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Springfield, Ozarks Technical Community College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,256 in tuition and fees, compared with $7,040 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $15,866 to complete the engineering program here. Early-career engineering graduates make about $36,644. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes State Fair Community College one of the best values for engineering. Set in the town of Sedalia, State Fair Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $4,176 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,416. Students borrow a median of $15,328 to complete the engineering program here. Early-career engineering graduates make about $39,168. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of Central Missouri landed the #6 spot for engineering value this year. Located in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,050, with out-of-state students paying around $18,600. Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,304 in student loans. Engineering graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $45,496 early in their careers. Set against $24,304 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Kansas City came in at #7 for value in engineering this year. University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public school located in the city of Kansas City. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,371, while out-of-state students pay about $32,271. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $25,233. Engineering graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of $70,704 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,233 median debt. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri University Of Science And Technology came in at #8 for value in engineering this year. Located in the town of Rolla, Missouri University Of Science And Technology is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $14,984, compared with $33,248 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,808 to complete the engineering program here. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Missouri University Of Science And Technology generally make around $78,158. That is a strong return on a $25,808 median debt. The acceptance rate is 72%.
University Of Missouri St Louis landed the #9 spot for engineering value this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,120 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $37,620. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $27,781. Engineering graduates of University Of Missouri St Louis earn a median of $77,954 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 63% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Columbia placed #10 among the best values for engineering. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $24,390 to complete the engineering program here. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia generally make around $72,219. Set against $24,390 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
Washington University In St Louis came in at #11 for value in engineering this year. Located in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,790. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $19,688. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Washington University In St Louis generally make around $96,890. That is a strong return on a $19,688 median debt. Roughly 12% of applicants are accepted.
Saint Louis University Main Campus ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. Located in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $55,760. Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,405 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Saint Louis University Main Campus generally make around $70,026. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
