2026 Best Value Child development Schools in Missouri
[Child development](/majors/family-consumer-human-sciences/human-development-family-studies/child-development/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for child development students.
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2026 Best Value Child development Schools in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in child development, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Child development Schools
Saint Louis Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value child development schools in Missouri. Located in the suburb of Bridgeton, Saint Louis Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,660 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,990 for out-of-state students. Child Development graduates carry a median of $11,424 in student loans. Early-career child development graduates make about $26,593. Set against $11,424 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in child development will find it at University Of Central Missouri, which ranked #2. University Of Central Missouri is a large public school located in the town of Warrensburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,050, with out-of-state students paying around $18,600. Students borrow a median of $24,500 to complete the child development program here. Child Development graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $36,267 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in child development, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,502, while out-of-state students pay about $18,770. Child Development graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Early-career child development graduates make about $32,769. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in child development will find it at University Of Missouri Columbia, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Child Development graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Child Development graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $40,221 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Missouri Columbia admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
