78.5%
Acceptance Rate
$14,837
Avg Cost (In-State)
$36,056
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
75.5%
Graduation Rate
23,929
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
May 1
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Interview
Not required
Essays: No required essays for most applicants; some scholarship programs may require essays
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$52,756
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$63,403
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
76%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business/Commerce, General. | $55,999 | $84,534 | 693 |
| Journalism. | $43,958 | $69,016 | 460 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. | $39,186 | $69,333 | 367 |
| Psychology, General. | $33,794 | $55,839 | 228 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $72,300 | $83,231 | 227 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $37,302 | $44,681 | 213 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $44,078 | $61,007 | 193 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General. | $72,886 | $100,234 | 192 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Calculate Your Cost at University of Missouri-Columbia
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Truman State President's Honorary Scholarship
$11,000-$14,000/year (full tuition)
universityTop automatic merit at MO public liberal arts; 30+ ACT/3.8 GPA range.
Deadline: December 1 (priority)
Learn more ↗Missouri Access Missouri
Up to $2,850 (4-yr publics); $2,150 (CC); $4,600 (privates)
stateMO residents with financial need at MO postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: FAFSA by February 1
Learn more ↗Missouri Bright Flight
Up to $3,000/year
stateMO residents in top 3% of MO ACT scores (~31+ ACT or equivalent).
Deadline: FAFSA by February 1
Learn more ↗Cottey College Transfer Scholarship
Merit + need-based aid for women transferring from Cottey College to 4-year
universityWomen completing the 2-year associate degree at Cottey College (women's college in Nevada, MO, owned by PEO Sisterhood) transferring to a 4-year institution; comprehensive transfer support + PEO network.
Deadline: Apply through Cottey
Learn more ↗Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Scholarships
$500-$5,000+
localKC metro students; one app for dozens of funds.
Deadline: January 31
Learn more ↗Missouri A+ Scholarship
Tuition + fees at MO public 2-year/technical schools
stateMO HS grads from A+-designated schools with 2.5+ GPA, 95% attendance, 50 hours mentoring service.
Deadline: FAFSA + school certification
Learn more ↗WashU Need-Met (Pell Promise)
Full tuition + housing for Pell-eligible students
universityWashU admitted students who are Pell-eligible; loan-free aid package.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗St. Louis Promise (STL College Now)
Tuition + fees at STLCC
localSt. Louis area HS grads attending St. Louis CC.
Deadline: Through STLCC
Learn more ↗St. Louis University Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityTop SLU incoming freshmen via competitive process.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 78.5% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
78.47%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Rolling Admissions
82%
acceptance
Priority Dec 1 for scholarships.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
18.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
20.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
75.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
13.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
47.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
87.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
71.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA
78.4% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
78.2% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 38k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO
78.1% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 32k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH
84.5% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $11k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Northern Illinois University
Dekalb, IL
69.8% acceptance
Similar selectivity (70% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Carbondale, IL
86.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (87% vs 79%) but out-of-state cost runs $13k — meaningfully less than $36k.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Missouri-Columbia is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Missouri-Columbia is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 79%) — a stretch target if University of Missouri-Columbia is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
Iowa State University
Ames, IA
88.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (89% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
89.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (90% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA
92.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but higher admit rate (93% vs 79%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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