St. Louis, Missouri Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in St. Louis, Missouri: median public in-state tuition $19,975 (+262.4% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $89,294 (+64.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 85.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $13,666 (+3.0% vs U.S.) 8,577 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 7 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 8,577 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $19,975 (+262.4% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $89,294 (+64.2% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 85.5% (-2.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,786 (+118.5% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $13,666 (+3.0% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $16,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 97.1%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 72.5%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in St. Louis serve students across Missouri with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 8,577 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $19,975. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against St. Louis, Missouri and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
St. Louis vs Missouri & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, Missouri | $19,975 | $21,786 | $13,666 | 97.1% | 8,577 |
| Missouri (state median) | $7,584 | $12,954 | $16,750 | 53.0% | 208,336 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: St. Louis, Missouri vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, Missouri | $89,294 | 85.5% | 72.5% | 3.0% | — | 78.8% | 0.21 |
| Missouri (state median) | $48,991 | 91.3% | 71.0% | 5.8% | — | 71.5% | 0.45 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Missouri (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, Missouri | $19,975 | $21,786 | $13,666 | 97.1% | 8,577 | $89,294 | 85.5% |
| Columbia | $25,826 | $21,492 | $22,190 | 42.7% | 29,377 | $45,378 | 87.6% |
| Columbia | $25,826 | $21,492 | $22,190 | 42.7% | 29,377 | $45,378 | 87.6% |
| Columbia | $25,826 | $21,492 | $22,190 | 42.7% | 29,377 | $45,378 | 87.6% |
| Springfield | $14,822 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $43,634 | 87.0% |
| Springfield | $14,822 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $43,634 | 87.0% |
| Springfield | $14,822 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $43,634 | 87.0% |
| Springfield | $14,822 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $43,634 | 87.0% |
| Saint Louis | $27,166 | $22,066 | $22,000 | 56.6% | 25,594 | $57,571 | 93.2% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 94.3%, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 84.5%, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Most selective college in St. Louis, Missouri (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 12.1%, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $110,302, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $185,551, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $78,073, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $81,347, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $86,182, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top 2 colleges in St. Louis, Missouri by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $300,146, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $288,549, Chamberlain University-Missouri
Chamberlain University-Missouri
Most affordable college in St. Louis, Missouri (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $21,786, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
Top college in St. Louis, Missouri by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 95.0%, Washington University in St Louis
Washington University in St Louis
In-state tuition: St. Louis, Missouri vs benchmarks
Sticker price
St. Louis, Missouri median in-state tuition is $19,975, +262.4% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: St. Louis, Missouri vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in St. Louis, Missouri is $13,666 (+3.0% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): St. Louis, Missouri vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in St. Louis, Missouri center around $89,294 (+64.2% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: St. Louis, Missouri vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 85.5% at the median St. Louis, Missouri campus (-2.5 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
St. Louis, Missouri median public in-state tuition is $19,975, about +262.4% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +220.9%.
Median graduate debt is $13,666 (+3.0% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in St. Louis, Missouri are $89,294, about +64.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 85.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-2.5 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 72.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 78.8% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Washington University in St Louis (84.5%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in St. Louis, Missouri is 97.1% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in St. Louis?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in St. Louis, Missouri with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in St. Louis?
Median in-state tuition in St. Louis is $19,975 and median net price is $21,786. For Missouri overall, medians are $7,584 and $12,954; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in St. Louis?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in St. Louis is $89,294 vs $48,991 for Missouri and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for St. Louis colleges?
Median completer debt in St. Louis is $13,666 vs $16,750 for Missouri and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in St. Louis?
Top campuses on this page include Washington University in St Louis (graduation) and Washington University in St Louis (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in St. Louis?
Among 7 College Scorecard campuses in St. Louis, Missouri, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Missouri college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON