Columbia, Missouri Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Columbia, Missouri shows: median public in-state tuition $25,826 (+368.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $45,378 (-16.5% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 87.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $22,190 (+65.2% vs U.S.) 29,377 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 4 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 29,377 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $25,826 (+368.5% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,378 (-16.5% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 87.6% (-0.3 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,492 (+115.6% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $22,190 (+65.2% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $17,500
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 42.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 78.4%
Download the data
Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Columbia, Missouri—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Missouri and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Columbia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, Missouri | $25,826 | $21,492 | $22,190 | 42.7% | 29,377 |
| Missouri (state median) | $7,584 | $12,954 | $17,500 | 52.4% | 208,656 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Columbia, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, Missouri | $45,378 | 87.6% | 78.4% | 6.7% | — | 71.4% | 0.53 |
| Missouri (state median) | $48,991 | 91.3% | 70.8% | 5.9% | — | 71.5% | 0.45 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, Missouri | $25,826 | $21,492 | $22,190 | 42.7% | 29,377 | $45,378 | 87.6% |
| Springfield | $12,162 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $46,573 | 88.1% |
| Springfield | $12,162 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $46,573 | 88.1% |
| Springfield | $12,162 | $18,141 | $20,979 | 57.9% | 27,085 | $46,573 | 88.1% |
| Saint Louis | $22,587 | $22,066 | $22,500 | 54.9% | 25,801 | $53,037 | 93.7% |
| Kansas City | $14,094 | $23,006 | $13,516 | 52.6% | 23,895 | $52,773 | 91.0% |
| St. Louis | $19,975 | $21,786 | $9,833 | 97.1% | 8,690 | $89,294 | 85.5% |
| Cape Girardeau | $10,484 | $16,521 | $11,084 | 66.5% | 6,863 | $44,030 | 92.8% |
| Rolla | $11,620 | $11,322 | $23,564 | 64.4% | 5,552 | $82,957 | 94.4% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 74.9%, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 42.2%, Columbia College
Columbia College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 94.2%, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 82.7%, Columbia College
Columbia College
Top 10 most selective colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Admission Rate, 78.5%, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,400, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,271, Columbia College
Columbia College
-
Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $48,584, Stephens College
Stephens College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $112,696, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $81,090, Columbia College
Columbia College
-
Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $79,407, Stephens College
Stephens College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $52,756, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,747, Columbia College
Columbia College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $58,213, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,679, Columbia College
Columbia College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $63,403, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,378, Columbia College
Columbia College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $191,220, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $92,290, Columbia College
Columbia College
-
Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $87,380, Stephens College
Stephens College
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, Net Price, $20,268, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, Net Price, $22,715, Columbia College
Columbia College
-
Rank 3, Net Price, $23,459, Stephens College
Stephens College
Top 10 colleges in Columbia, 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.
-
Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 92.7%, University of Missouri-Columbia
University of Missouri-Columbia
-
Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 75.1%, Columbia College
Columbia College
In-state tuition: Columbia, Missouri vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Columbia, Missouri median in-state tuition is $25,826, +368.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Columbia, Missouri vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Columbia, Missouri is $22,190 (+65.2% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $17,500.
Median earnings (10 years out): Columbia, Missouri vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Columbia, Missouri center around $45,378 (-16.5% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Columbia, Missouri vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 87.6% at the median Columbia, Missouri campus (-0.3 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
Columbia, Missouri median public in-state tuition is $25,826, about +368.5% vs the national median. Versus the Plains region, tuition is +314.9%.
Median graduate debt is $22,190 (+65.2% above the U.S. median of $13,432). 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 Columbia, Missouri are $45,378, about -16.5% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 87.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-0.3 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 78.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 6.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 71.4% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Missouri-Columbia (94.2%), Columbia College (82.7%)—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 Columbia, Missouri is 42.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 4 campuses in Columbia, Missouri with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Columbia is $25,826 and median net price is $21,492. For Missouri overall, medians are $7,584 and $12,954; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Columbia is $45,378 vs $48,991 for Missouri and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Columbia colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Columbia is $22,190 vs $17,500 for Missouri and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include University of Missouri-Columbia (graduation) and University of Missouri-Columbia (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Columbia?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 4 campuses in Columbia, Missouri, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (1).
Sources & related
- Missouri college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON