Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Missouri
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Missouri
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO | Public | $858,496 | $91,608 | $16,298 | $23,250 | +533% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO | Private | $572,079 | $78,280 | $21,786 | $17,500 | +256% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Park University Parkville, MO | Private | $453,390 | $72,271 | $21,032 | $21,685 | +196% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO | Private | $443,219 | $71,975 | $22,066 | $22,000 | +180% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO | Private | $359,354 | $68,477 | $25,884 | $18,250 | +113% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO | Private | $357,918 | $68,231 | $24,398 | $25,000 | +118% | Strong return | |
| 7 | University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO | Public | $315,798 | $65,217 | $20,268 | $20,500 | +128% | Strong return | |
| 8 | William Jewell College Liberty, MO | Private | $314,245 | $64,671 | $17,562 | $24,498 | +148% | Strong return | |
| 9 | University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, MO | Public | $289,787 | $62,493 | $13,310 | $18,750 | +191% | Strong return | |
| 10 | Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City, MO | Private | $287,104 | $64,242 | $23,006 | $15,675 | +97% | Strong return | |
| 11 | St Charles Community College Cottleville, MO | Public | $243,551 | $57,874 | $5,837 | $6,187 | +824% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Southwest Baptist University Bolivar, MO | Private | $220,315 | $60,733 | $21,677 | $20,957 | +67% | Strong return | |
| 13 | State Technical College of Missouri Linn, MO | Public | $213,097 | $57,374 | $15,190 | $10,986 | +260% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Ranken Technical College Saint Louis, MO | Private | $212,287 | $59,592 | $18,795 | $12,000 | +83% | Strong return | |
| 15 | University of Missouri-St Louis Saint Louis, MO | Public | $206,288 | $58,693 | $15,071 | $20,000 | +103% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Avila University Kansas City, MO | Private | $200,778 | $58,705 | $16,053 | $25,000 | +87% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City Kansas City, MO | Public | $150,493 | $53,548 | $8,398 | $10,073 | +318% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Webster University Saint Louis, MO | Private | $123,011 | $56,979 | $27,047 | $23,000 | +3% | Break-even | |
| 19 | Mineral Area College Park Hills, MO | Public | $122,804 | $52,536 | $12,045 | $10,500 | +170% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO | Public | $121,569 | $54,719 | $16,244 | $21,500 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 21 | Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO | Private | $116,973 | $55,250 | $19,638 | $26,000 | +16% | Break-even | |
| 22 | Westminster College Fulton, MO | Private | $116,205 | $56,165 | $24,314 | $27,000 | +4% | Break-even | |
| 23 | East Central College Union, MO | Public | $103,962 | $51,684 | $13,128 | $9,500 | +125% | Strong return | |
| 24 | Columbia College Columbia, MO | Private | $98,698 | $54,913 | $22,715 | $23,879 | 0% | Poor return | |
| 25 | Missouri Baptist University Saint Louis, MO | Private | $91,297 | $55,376 | $27,006 | $22,500 | -11% | Poor return | |
| 26 | Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO | Public | $81,474 | $52,997 | $17,613 | $21,992 | +2% | Break-even | |
| 27 | Truman State University Kirksville, MO | Public | $76,807 | $51,779 | $12,780 | $21,000 | +15% | Break-even | |
| 28 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO | Public | $71,999 | $51,875 | $14,462 | $21,000 | +5% | Break-even | |
| 29 | Missouri Southern State University Joplin, MO | Public | $71,285 | $51,315 | $12,007 | $19,174 | +15% | Break-even | |
| 30 | Jefferson College Hillsboro, MO | Public | $62,140 | $49,014 | $7,378 | $9,285 | +121% | Strong return | |
| 31 | Missouri Valley College Marshall, MO | Private | $41,600 | $51,170 | $18,086 | $25,950 | -25% | Poor return | |
| 32 | Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO | Public | $21,119 | $49,070 | $13,251 | $19,968 | -33% | Poor return | |
| 33 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO | Public | $9,997 | $49,068 | $15,882 | $21,500 | -43% | Poor return | |
| 34 | Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies Fayette, MO | Private | $-11,725 | $47,655 | $14,601 | $17,619 | -59% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Missouri State University-West Plains West Plains, MO | Public | $-20,164 | $45,149 | $9,750 | $10,000 | -94% | Poor return | |
| 36 | State Fair Community College Sedalia, MO | Public | $-21,936 | $44,893 | $7,985 | $10,500 | -105% | Poor return | |
| 37 | Culver-Stockton College Canton, MO | Private | $-21,967 | $48,772 | $21,983 | $26,000 | -61% | Poor return | |
| 38 | William Woods University Fulton, MO | Private | $-55,207 | $47,954 | $26,569 | $21,983 | -74% | Poor return | |
| 39 | Evangel University Springfield, MO | Private | $-72,450 | $45,562 | $18,669 | $24,736 | -93% | Poor return | |
| 40 | Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, MO | Public | $-73,953 | $42,880 | $6,936 | $10,453 | -167% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Drury University Springfield, MO | Private | $-87,869 | $45,155 | $20,831 | $20,979 | -98% | Poor return | |
| 42 | Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton, MO | Public | $-97,011 | $41,960 | $8,440 | $6,725 | -184% | Poor return | |
| 43 | College of the Ozarks Point Lookout, MO | Private | $-101,840 | $41,128 | $6,100 | — | -259% | Poor return | |
| 44 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette, MO | Private | $-110,525 | $44,348 | $22,766 | $17,619 | -107% | Poor return | |
| 45 | Lincoln University Jefferson City, MO | Public | $-110,850 | $43,802 | $19,092 | $28,875 | -114% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Harris-Stowe State University Saint Louis, MO | Public | $-115,997 | $41,657 | $9,922 | $25,930 | -168% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Moberly Area Community College Moberly, MO | Public | $-127,884 | $39,481 | $6,810 | $10,658 | -415% | Poor return | |
| 48 | Crowder College Neosho, MO | Public | $-142,126 | $38,960 | $9,023 | $9,000 | -383% | Poor return | |
| 49 | North Central Missouri College Trenton, MO | Public | $-148,238 | $39,142 | $13,626 | $10,500 | -289% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies Springfield, MO | Private | $-151,729 | $39,909 | $10,566 | $20,979 | -202% | Poor return | |
| 51 | Kansas City Art Institute Kansas City, MO | Private | $-201,579 | $40,943 | $27,650 | $27,000 | -134% | Poor return | |
| 52 | Three Rivers College Poplar Bluff, MO | Public | $-271,736 | $32,445 | $8,496 | $10,000 | -708% | Poor return | |
| 53 | Pinnacle Career Institute Kansas City, MO | For-profit | $-304,453 | $32,862 | $28,732 | $11,605 | -297% | Poor return | |
| 54 | Ozark Christian College Joplin, MO | Private | $-342,492 | $32,297 | $20,580 | $16,772 | -244% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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