Cape Girardeau, Missouri Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Cape Girardeau, Missouri: median public in-state tuition $10,484 (+90.2% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $44,030 (-19.0% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $11,084 (-16.5% vs U.S.) 6,863 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 5 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 6,863 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,484 (+90.2% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $44,030 (-19.0% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 92.8% (+4.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $16,521 (+65.7% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $11,084 (-16.5% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $16,750
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 66.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 75.8%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Cape Girardeau serve students across Missouri with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 5 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 6,863 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $10,484. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Cape Girardeau, Missouri and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Cape Girardeau 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, Missouri | $10,484 | $16,521 | $11,084 | 66.5% | 6,863 |
| 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: Cape Girardeau, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, Missouri | $44,030 | 92.8% | 75.8% | 9.7% | — | 74.4% | 0.49 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau, Missouri | $10,484 | $16,521 | $11,084 | 66.5% | 6,863 | $44,030 | 92.8% |
| 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 Cape Girardeau, 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, 57.9%, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, 92.8%, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Most selective college in Cape Girardeau, 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, 73.5%, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $68,302, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $106,797, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $38,150, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $42,027, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $44,030, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $127,914, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Most affordable college in Cape Girardeau, 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, $15,882, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
Top college in Cape Girardeau, 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, 75.8%, Southeast Missouri State University
Southeast Missouri State University
In-state tuition: Cape Girardeau, Missouri vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Cape Girardeau, Missouri median in-state tuition is $10,484, +90.2% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Cape Girardeau, Missouri vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Cape Girardeau, Missouri is $11,084 (-16.5% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $16,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Cape Girardeau, Missouri vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Cape Girardeau, Missouri center around $44,030 (-19.0% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Cape Girardeau, Missouri vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 92.8% at the median Cape Girardeau, Missouri campus (+4.8 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
Cape Girardeau, Missouri median public in-state tuition is $10,484, about +90.2% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +68.4%.
Median graduate debt is $11,084 (-16.5% below 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 Cape Girardeau, Missouri are $44,030, about -19.0% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 92.8% 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% (+4.8 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 75.8% 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 9.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 74.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Southeast Missouri State University (92.8%)—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 Cape Girardeau, Missouri is 66.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Cape Girardeau?
This city profile covers 5 campuses in Cape Girardeau, Missouri with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Cape Girardeau?
Median in-state tuition in Cape Girardeau is $10,484 and median net price is $16,521. For Missouri overall, medians are $7,584 and $12,954; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Cape Girardeau?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Cape Girardeau is $44,030 vs $48,991 for Missouri and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Cape Girardeau colleges?
Median completer debt in Cape Girardeau is $11,084 vs $16,750 for Missouri and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Cape Girardeau?
Top campuses on this page include Southeast Missouri State University (graduation) and Southeast Missouri State University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Cape Girardeau?
Among 5 College Scorecard campuses in Cape Girardeau, 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