Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Schools are assigned a value from 1-100, where 100 is best for students from households earning up to $30,000. This value is multiplied by the percentage of the school’s student body that received a Pell Grant, to calculate the economic mobility score. A higher score is better. Read the full explanation
The percentage of a school’s student body that has received a Pell Grant.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
The total debt accrued by the median student at the time of graduation.
The debt-to-earnings ratio is calculated by dividing student debt upon graduation by the annual salary. A debt to earnings ratio of 1 means that annual educational debt is the same as annual earnings.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
EarningsPluscompares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.
Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.
Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked first and Washington University in St Louis ranked second for the best colleges in Missouri. With a quarter or more of the student population participating in Greek life, students will find a range of social opportunities in this party state. Misouri is also known for their barbeque culture, Civil War battlefields, and the beautiful Ozarks.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,799
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$82,957
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate70%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$20,768
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$86,182
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate94%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,242
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$59,637
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate60%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$18,359
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$55,955
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate62%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,256
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$56,280
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate73%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$26,548
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$70,783
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate77%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$21,294
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$67,102
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate71%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,979
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$63,403
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate73%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$11,986
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$53,037
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate63%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$19,200
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$59,268
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate69%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,009
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$56,309
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate54%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$24,410
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$62,105
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate73%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$15,220
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$52,773
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate56%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$16,806
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$53,278
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate54%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$14,759
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$49,560
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate57%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$28,124
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$56,867
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate89%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$13,732
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$47,885
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate54%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$17,262
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$49,827
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate61%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$26,380
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$52,199
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate58%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
Our economic score ranks programs based on a combination of payback and EarningsPlus. Lower scores are better. Check our methodology page for details and data sources.
Cost$22,378
The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.
Earnings$50,876
Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.
Graduation rate63%
Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (49%) are not displayed.
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Average income based on education level
The following figures are the average salaries in Missouri for each level of education.
Average Income
The average income of people in this state with a high-school diploma, certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or master’s degree, 10 years after enrollment, based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
HS Diploma$35,612
Certificate$44,117
Associate$49,153
Bachelor$56,117
Master$66,757
Cost of attending college in Missouri
In-state-tuition$19,316
The average in-state tuition, before financial aid, of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Out-of-state-tuition$21,683
The average tuition for out-of-state students, before financial aid of all 4-year institutions in the state. Includes public, private, online, on-campus, non-profit, and for-profit institutions. Based on 2021-2022 CSC data.
Most popular degrees in Missouri
In Missouri the most popular degrees are Business Administration, Registered Nursing, and Business and Commerce. To create this list, we complied and analyzed data from IPEDS and College Scorecard.
They both provide information on how many graduates each program has annually. The list below is both undergraduate- and graduate-level programs.
Popular degrees
1Business Administration 4,722graduates
2Registered Nursing 4,399graduates
3Business and Commerce 2,497graduates
4Education-grades & methods 2,324graduates
5General Psychology 1,712graduates
6Biology 1,694graduates
7Accounting 1,447graduates
8Computer Science 1,253graduates
9Computer and Information Sciences 1,152graduates
10Liberal Arts and Sciences 1,091graduates
Fastest growing careers
Missouri job growth
7.3%
Nurse Practitioners
47.5%
Ushers, Lobby Attendants, and Ticket Takers
46.9%
Computer and Information Research Scientists
39.3%
Statisticians
33.3%
Information Security Analysts
32.8%
Occupational Therapy Assistants
31.2%
Physical Therapist Assistants
29.5%
Physician Assistants
28.9%
Medical and Health Services Managers
28%
Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
27.6%
Best bachelor’s degrees in Missouri
These majors are most likely to pay off economically after graduation.
Program NamesEconomic Score
1Industrial Engineering 1.3
2Metallurgical Engineering 1.39
3Computer Engineering 1.59
4Chemical Engineering 1.6
5Mining/Mineral Engineering 1.63
6Architectural Engineering 1.79
7Electrical Engineering 1.84
8Construction Mgmt. 1.86
9Systems Engineering 1.87
10Industrial Engineering 1.89
11Quality Control & Safety Technician 1.91
12Civil Engineering 1.99
13Mechanical Engineering 2.03
14Engineering technology 2.16
15Aerospace Engineering 2.19
16Dental Support Services 2.23
17Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications. 2.39
Higher education is supposed to act as an economic elevator that lifts students from low-income households into the middle class. But not all colleges do this: unfortunately, many of the nation’s most “prestigious” schools accept very few students from low-income backgrounds.
To determine what colleges are doing the best job at lifting students out of poverty, we have devised a Social Mobility Index (SMI).
The best colleges for social mobility in Missouri are shown below.
Bachelor's degree holders or higher
29.9%
Filters
Missouri
7.3%
