Best Colleges in Missouri by Salary Potential

Once you decide to go to school in Missouri for your bachelor’s degree, research Missouri’s best four-year colleges by earning potential.

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Bachelor's Only
All Alumni
RankSchool NameSchool TypeEarly Career Pay
Mid-Career Pay
% High Meaning
% STEM Degrees
Rank:1School Name:Washington University in St LouisSchool Type:Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$70,000Mid-Career Pay:$126,400% High Meaning:43%% STEM Degrees:31%
Rank:2School Name:Missouri University of Science and TechnologySchool Type:Engineering, Research University, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$72,600Mid-Career Pay:$125,500% High Meaning:51%% STEM Degrees:81%
Rank:3School Name:University of Missouri-ColumbiaSchool Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$56,700Mid-Career Pay:$107,000% High Meaning:49%% STEM Degrees:14%
Rank:4School Name:Westminster College (Missouri)School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$50,200Mid-Career Pay:$104,600% High Meaning:46%% STEM Degrees:26%
Rank:5School Name:William Jewell CollegeSchool Type:Liberal Arts School, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$53,400Mid-Career Pay:$101,300% High Meaning:60%% STEM Degrees:13%
Rank:6School Name:Saint Louis UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports FansEarly Career Pay:$58,200Mid-Career Pay:$100,400% High Meaning:54%% STEM Degrees:15%
Rank:7School Name:Rockhurst UniversitySchool Type:Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$58,000Mid-Career Pay:$97,400% High Meaning:55%% STEM Degrees:8%
Rank:8School Name:University of Missouri-Kansas CitySchool Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$55,300Mid-Career Pay:$94,800% High Meaning:55%% STEM Degrees:23%
Rank:9School Name:Missouri State University-SpringfieldSchool Type:For Sports Fans, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$49,300Mid-Career Pay:$93,400% High Meaning:51%% STEM Degrees:10%
Rank:10School Name:Truman State UniversitySchool Type:State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$51,200Mid-Career Pay:$91,400% High Meaning:46%% STEM Degrees:16%
Rank:11School Name:Cox CollegeSchool Type:Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$57,300Mid-Career Pay:$90,900% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:12School Name:Northwest Missouri State UniversitySchool Type:State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$50,800Mid-Career Pay:$90,500% High Meaning:48%% STEM Degrees:20%
Rank:13School Name:University of Missouri-St LouisSchool Type:Research University, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$54,100Mid-Career Pay:$90,100% High Meaning:52%% STEM Degrees:14%
Rank:14School Name:Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of NursingSchool Type:Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$60,100Mid-Career Pay:$90,000% High Meaning:88%% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:15School Name:Webster UniversitySchool Type:Business, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$50,400Mid-Career Pay:$89,700% High Meaning:52%% STEM Degrees:2%
Rank:16School Name:Park UniversitySchool Type:Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$52,100Mid-Career Pay:$87,700% High Meaning:57%% STEM Degrees:9%
Rank:17School Name:University of Central MissouriSchool Type:State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$51,400Mid-Career Pay:$86,600% High Meaning:55%% STEM Degrees:18%
Rank:18School Name:Culver-Stockton CollegeSchool Type:Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$44,900Mid-Career Pay:$86,300% High Meaning:55%% STEM Degrees:6%
Rank:19School Name:Maryville University of Saint LouisSchool Type:Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$51,200Mid-Career Pay:$84,000% High Meaning:54%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:20School Name:Kansas City Art InstituteSchool Type:Art, Private SchoolEarly Career Pay:$45,800Mid-Career Pay:$83,200% High Meaning:32%% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:21School Name:Drury UniversitySchool Type:Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$46,200Mid-Career Pay:$82,500% High Meaning:58%% STEM Degrees:22%
Rank:22School Name:Avila UniversitySchool Type:Private School, ReligiousEarly Career Pay:$49,700Mid-Career Pay:$82,400% High Meaning:64%% STEM Degrees:10%
Rank:22School Name:Missouri Southern State UniversitySchool Type:State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$48,400Mid-Career Pay:$82,400% High Meaning:63%% STEM Degrees:11%
Rank:24School Name:Southeast Missouri State UniversitySchool Type:For Sports Fans, State SchoolEarly Career Pay:$47,600Mid-Career Pay:$82,200% High Meaning:52%% STEM Degrees:12%
Rank:25School Name:Lindenwood UniversitySchool Type:Private School, Research UniversityEarly Career Pay:$50,100Mid-Career Pay:$81,700% High Meaning:46%% STEM Degrees:11%

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College Student

Missouri is host to a broad range of colleges and universities. Columbia College, home of the Cougars, enrolls roughly 30,000 students, whereas William Woods University, a private university, is the smallest school with about 1,300 students.

PayScale’s College Salary Report includes colleges and universities in Missouri, including some of its best known schools like University of Missouri, Westminster College, and Columbia.

Truman State University is the most recommended almost 90 percent of alumni would tell others to attend the school.

Multiple universities and hospitals, such as St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, are among Missouri’s top employers, and many graduates work in medical fields. Tennessee Williams, Deborah Bryant, Larry Young and Sheryl Crow all also graduated from Missouri schools, but you may not want to count on your music career just yet.