by our College Data Analytics TeamWhen pursuing a degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Top Missouri Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
We analyzed 48 colleges and universities across Missouri to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Our ranking methodology focuses on over 20 different objective factors - such as graduation rate, post graduate earnings, and a school's average expenditure per student - to make this determination.
Learn more about our ranking methodology.
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Washington University in St Louis tops this year’s ranking as the best school in Missouri for overall quality.
The 4-year grad rate at the school is 88%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $86,182 during the early years of their career..
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Ranken Technical College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in Missouri.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Ranken Technical College make an average of $55,955 per year during the early years of their career.
Out of the 48 schools in Missouri that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Missouri - Columbia landed the #3 spot on the list.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Mizzou make an average of $63,403 per year during the early years of their career.
A rank of #4 on our Best Colleges in Missouri list means Saint Louis University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. During the early years of their career, graduates from SLU make an average of $70,783 a year.
A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in Missouri list means Missouri University of Science and Technology is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology is $82,957 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Missouri University of Science and Technology
Webster University landed the #6 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Webster make an average of $50,876 a year.
With a ranking of #7, Maryville University of Saint Louis did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $62,105 during the early years of their career..
State Technical College of Missouri landed the #8 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 88%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from STC is $55,901 during the early years of their career.
Rockhurst University landed the #9 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Rockhurst make an average of $67,102 a year.
Missouri State University - Springfield landed the #10 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Missouri State go into careers with an average salary of $49,827 during the early years of their career.
University of Missouri - St Louis landed the #11 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UMSL go into careers with an average salary of $53,037 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #12, Columbia College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College Missouri make an average of $45,378 per year during the early years of their career.
Lindenwood University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #13.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Lindenwood University make an average of $53,278 per year during the early years of their career.
University of Missouri - Kansas City came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,637 during the early years of their career..
Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #15.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,796 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #16, Park University did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri list.
The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Park University go into careers with an average salary of $56,309 during the early years of their career.
St Charles Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #17.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SCC go into careers with an average salary of $42,422 during the early years of their career.
Truman State University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #18.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Truman State is $56,280 during the early years of their career.
William Jewell College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $59,268 during the early years of their career..
Northwest Missouri State University did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #20.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Northwest make an average of $47,885 a year.
University of Central Missouri did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking, coming in at #21.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UCM is $49,560 during the early years of their career.
Saint Louis Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Saint Louis Community College go into careers with an average salary of $35,325 during the early years of their career.
Southeast Missouri State University ranked #23 on this year’s Best Colleges in Missouri list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Southeast Missouri State University make an average of $44,030 a year.
State Fair Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from State Fair Community College is $35,562 during the early years of their career.
William Woods University landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Missouri ranking.
The student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from William Woods make an average of $42,401 per year during the early years of their career.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.