2027 Best Value Economics Schools in Missouri
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for economics students.
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2027 Best Value Economics Schools in Missouri
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Economics Schools
University Of Missouri Kansas City tops our 2027 list of the best value economics schools in Missouri. Set in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,371, with out-of-state students paying around $32,271. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $23,741. Economics graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of $60,324 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 72% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Central Missouri came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value economics schools. Set in the town of Warrensburg, University Of Central Missouri is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,050, while out-of-state students pay about $18,600. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $25,056. Economics graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $41,076 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in economics will find it at University Of Missouri St Louis, which ranked #3. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. In-state tuition and fees average $15,120, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $22,962. Early-career economics graduates make about $46,583. That is a strong return on a $22,962 median debt. The acceptance rate is 63%.
Missouri State University Springfield came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value economics schools. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Economics graduates carry a median of $19,793 in student loans. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Missouri State University Springfield generally make around $44,898. Set against $19,793 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Students from in state pay about $14,837 in tuition and fees, compared with $36,056 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $18,815. Early-career economics graduates make about $52,635. Set against $18,815 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Washington University In St Louis ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value economics schools. Set in the suburb of St. Louis, Washington University In St Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $65,790. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $14,110. Economics graduates of Washington University In St Louis earn a median of $66,325 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $14,110 median debt. The acceptance rate is 12%.
Saint Louis University Main Campus landed the #7 spot for economics value this year. Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Saint Louis. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,760. Students borrow a median of $26,586 to complete the economics program here. Early-career economics graduates make about $65,599. That is a strong return on a $26,586 median debt. 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.
