Average tuition fees rose 3.9% for college students in Missouri in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $16,365 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $611 more than the previous school year.
Among the 121 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, Washington University in St Louis stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $60,590. Saint Louis University followed with an average of $50,644 per year. St Charles Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,371.
Currently there are 124 higher education institutions in Missouri.
At the time, at least $480 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in Missouri. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $117.8 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 124 institutions in Missouri, three did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Healing Arts Center, Research College of Nursing, and Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington University in St Louis | $60,590 | 8,132 |
| Saint Louis University | $50,644 | 10,662 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | $41,924 | 738 |
| Rockhurst University | $41,701 | 2,545 |
| Drury University | $33,830 | 1,375 |
| Missouri Baptist University | $33,316 | 4,549 |
| Westminster College | $33,144 | 610 |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | $31,280 | 264 |
| Midwest Institute | $30,015 | 204 |
| Webster University | $29,840 | 2,197 |
| Culver-Stockton College | $29,195 | 900 |
| Fontbonne University | $28,696 | 684 |
| William Woods University | $27,480 | 791 |
| Maryville University of Saint Louis | $27,166 | 5,809 |
| Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | $27,140 | 1,080 |
| Southwest Baptist University | $27,038 | 1,836 |
| Evangel University | $26,400 | 1,246 |
| Hannibal-LaGrange University | $25,600 | 452 |
| Stephens College | $25,586 | 407 |
| Cottey College | $24,960 | 311 |
| Bolivar Technical College | $24,610 | 130 |
| St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton | $24,609 | 407 |
| American Trade School | $24,600 | 127 |
| Columbia College | $24,326 | 5,675 |
| Conception Seminary College | $24,248 | 27 |
| Missouri Valley College | $22,450 | 1,494 |
| Avila University | $22,390 | 978 |
| House of Heavilin Beauty College-Kansas City | $21,000 | 66 |
| College of the Ozarks | $20,290 | 1,487 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-St Charles | $19,954 | 200 |
| City Pointe Beauty Academy | $19,787 | 91 |
| Ea La Mar’s Cosmetology & Barber College | $19,750 | 36 |
| Chamberlain University-Missouri | $19,629 | 375 |
| William Jewell College | $19,610 | 824 |
| Lindenwood University | $19,300 | 4,808 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis | $18,927 | 208 |
| Texas County Technical College | $18,240 | 68 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri | $18,054 | 340 |
| Applied Technology Services | $18,000 | 193 |
| University of Missouri-Columbia | $17,978 | 23,745 |
| Lex La-Ray Technical Center | $17,732 | 29 |
| Grabber School of Hair Design | $17,596 | 209 |
| Four Rivers Career Center | $17,295 | 26 |
| Pinnacle Career Institute | $17,100 | 344 |
| Ranken Technical College | $16,960 | 1,671 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City | $16,757 | 185 |
| WellSpring School of Allied Health-Springfield | $16,500 | 67 |
| WellSpring School of Allied Health-Kansas City | $16,500 | 168 |
| Concorde Career College-Kansas City | $15,973 | 577 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | $15,920 | 10,179 |
| Bryan University | $15,782 | 127 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Missouri Columbia | $15,750 | 143 |
| Mission University | $15,690 | 274 |
| Summit Salon Academy Kansas City | $15,575 | 124 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | $15,505 | 5,498 |
| Evolve Beauty Academy | $15,500 | 38 |
| St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis | $15,320 | 91 |
| Ozark Christian College | $14,680 | 608 |
| University of Missouri-St Louis | $14,443 | 12,415 |
| Missouri College of Cosmetology and Esthetics | $14,325 | 89 |
| Warrensburg Area Career Center | $14,259 | 19 |
| Waynesville Career Center | $13,923 | 19 |
| Cass Career Center | $13,855 | 15 |
| Southern Missouri Technical Institute | $13,787 | 47 |
| Academy of Hair Design-Springfield | $13,750 | 289 |
| New Dimensions School of Hair Design | $13,694 | 29 |
| House of Heavilin Beauty College-Blue Springs | $13,500 | 136 |
| Franklin Technology Center Adult Education | $13,467 | 61 |
| Cox College | $13,396 | 677 |
| Skin Institute | $13,065 | 84 |
| Saline County Career Center | $13,000 | 23 |
| Stevens-The Institute of Business & Arts | $12,968 | 88 |
| Pike-Lincoln Technical Center | $12,950 | 34 |
| Park University | $12,671 | 6,238 |
| Trend Setters School | $12,500 | 54 |
| Calvary University | $12,500 | 226 |
| Academy of Beauty Professionals | $12,426 | 49 |
| Salem College of Hairstyling | $12,100 | 34 |
| Central College of Cosmetology | $12,100 | 45 |
| Carthage R9 School District-Carthage Technical Center | $12,000 | 18 |
| Academy of Salon Professionals | $11,695 | 52 |
| Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences | $11,691 | 134 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | $11,545 | 5,308 |
| Neosho Beauty College | $11,350 | 60 |
| Kirksville Area Technical Center | $11,250 | 20 |
| Aesthetics Institute | $10,900 | 40 |
| Clinton Technical School | $10,450 | 17 |
| Missouri Southern State University | $10,319 | 4,052 |
| University of Central Missouri | $10,306 | 7,345 |
| Truman State University | $10,305 | 3,622 |
| Missouri Western State University | $10,294 | 3,841 |
| Lincoln University | $10,249 | 1,730 |
| Missouri State University-Springfield | $10,058 | 18,419 |
| St. Louis Med Tech | $9,900 | 4 |
| Central Christian College of the Bible | $9,850 | 157 |
| Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary | $9,480 | 1,009 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | $9,015 | 8,454 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield | $8,700 | 239 |
| Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center | $8,400 | 216 |
| Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies | $7,924 | 742 |
| Logan University | $7,800 | 310 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | $7,756 | 1,084 |
| State Technical College of Missouri | $7,558 | 2,176 |
| Urshan College | $7,420 | 473 |
| Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center | $7,334 | 34 |
| Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | $7,160 | 12,872 |
| Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies | $6,960 | 2,808 |
| Grand River Technical School | $6,700 | 76 |
| Crowder College | $6,552 | 4,034 |
| Moberly Area Community College | $6,436 | 5,017 |
| North Central Missouri College | $6,263 | 1,772 |
| Jefferson College | $6,228 | 3,626 |
| Three Rivers College | $6,000 | 2,624 |
| City Vision University | $6,000 | 132 |
| Mineral Area College | $5,699 | 2,289 |
| Ozarks Technical Community College | $5,239 | 10,889 |
| Missouri State University-West Plains | $5,204 | 1,770 |
| State Fair Community College | $5,190 | 3,724 |
| Saint Louis Community College | $5,168 | 14,301 |
| East Central College | $4,602 | 2,692 |
| St Charles Community College | $4,371 | 5,800 |
