There are 159 colleges in Missouri - 43 public and 116 private schools. At Missouri colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Missouri colleges:
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type | 10-Year Increase (2016-2025) | 2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Public, In-State | 35.91% (from $7,674 to $10,430) | $10,430 |
| Public, Out-of-State | 23.87% (from $16,355 to $20,259) | $20,259 |
| Private Colleges | 12.20% (from $19,850 to $22,272) | $22,272 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 23.87%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 24.41% over the same period.
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 26.83% when living on campus and 33.46% when living off campus at Missouri Colleges.
In private Missouri Colleges, the COA has increase by 19.46% (on-campus) and 25.49% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $37,230 when a student lives on campus and $39,732 when living off campus at Missouri Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Missouri Colleges over the past 10 years.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $20,673 | $29,354 | $32,849 | $21,089 | $29,770 | $33,265 |
| 2016-17 | $20,771 0.47% | $29,733 1.29% | $33,716 2.64% | $21,054 -0.17% | $30,016 0.83% | $33,999 2.21% |
| 2017-18 | $21,932 5.59% | $30,557 2.77% | $34,683 2.87% | $22,228 5.58% | $30,853 2.79% | $34,979 2.88% |
| 2018-19 | $22,439 2.31% | $31,324 2.51% | $33,346 -3.85% | $23,257 4.63% | $32,142 4.18% | $34,164 -2.33% |
| 2019-20 | $22,493 0.24% | $32,514 3.80% | $33,285 -0.18% | $23,692 1.87% | $33,713 4.89% | $34,484 0.94% |
| 2020-21 | $23,213 3.20% | $33,494 3.01% | $33,727 1.33% | $24,348 2.77% | $34,629 2.72% | $34,862 1.10% |
| 2021-22 | $24,168 4.11% | $34,748 3.74% | $34,032 0.90% | $25,714 5.61% | $36,294 4.81% | $35,578 2.05% |
| 2022-23 | $24,933 3.17% | $35,495 2.15% | $37,056 8.89% | $26,669 3.71% | $37,231 2.58% | $38,792 9.03% |
| 2023-24 | $25,962 4.13% | $35,065 -1.21% | $38,607 4.19% | $28,211 5.78% | $37,314 0.22% | $40,856 5.32% |
| 2024-25 | $27,401 5.54% | $37,230 6.17% | $39,243 1.65% | $29,903 6.00% | $39,732 6.48% | $41,745 2.18% |
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Missouri Colleges is $11,848 for Missouri residents and $21,677 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $23,650.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $12,169 for Missouri residents and $20,672 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $16,949.
The tuition & fees has increased 23.87% for undergraduate programs and 24.41% for graduate programs at Missouri Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $7,674 | $16,355 | $19,850 | $7,727 | $15,643 | $12,808 |
| 2016-17 | $7,724 0.65% | $16,686 2.02% | $20,669 4.13% | $7,943 2.80% | $16,195 3.53% | $13,129 2.51% |
| 2017-18 | $8,417 8.97% | $17,042 2.13% | $21,168 2.41% | $8,579 8.01% | $16,752 3.44% | $13,623 3.76% |
| 2018-19 | $8,675 3.07% | $17,560 3.04% | $19,582 -7.49% | $8,774 2.27% | $16,702 -0.30% | $13,665 0.31% |
| 2019-20 | $8,649 -0.30% | $18,670 6.32% | $19,441 -0.72% | $8,915 1.61% | $17,450 4.48% | $14,561 6.56% |
| 2020-21 | $8,936 3.32% | $19,217 2.93% | $19,450 0.05% | $8,994 0.89% | $17,390 -0.34% | $14,093 -3.21% |
| 2021-22 | $9,431 5.54% | $20,011 4.13% | $19,295 -0.80% | $9,205 2.35% | $17,450 0.35% | $14,368 1.95% |
| 2022-23 | $9,495 0.68% | $20,057 0.23% | $21,618 12.04% | $9,964 8.25% | $18,067 3.54% | $13,210 -8.06% |
| 2023-24 | $9,794 3.15% | $18,897 -5.78% | $22,439 3.80% | $10,421 4.59% | $18,011 -0.31% | $14,056 6.40% |
| 2024-25 | $10,430 6.49% | $20,259 7.21% | $22,272 -0.74% | $10,959 5.16% | $19,462 8.06% | $16,191 15.19% |
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,125 for Missouri Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,123 |
| 2016-17 | $1,121 -0.18% |
| 2017-18 | $1,120 -0.09% |
| 2018-19 | $1,084 -3.21% |
| 2019-20 | $1,066 -1.66% |
| 2020-21 | $1,065 -0.09% |
| 2021-22 | $1,045 -1.88% |
| 2022-23 | $1,004 -3.92% |
| 2023-24 | $1,071 6.67% |
| 2024-25 | $1,125 5.04% |
For Missouri Colleges, the living have increased 24.77% when a student lives on campus facilities and 27.96% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,876 | $12,675 |
| 2016-17 | $11,926 3.58% | $12,833 0.72% |
| 2017-18 | $12,395 2.80% | $13,302 3.18% |
| 2018-19 | $12,680 2.76% | $13,919 5.26% |
| 2019-20 | $12,778 1.02% | $14,340 1.74% |
| 2020-21 | $13,212 3.08% | $14,757 2.68% |
| 2021-22 | $13,692 3.52% | $15,357 6.88% |
| 2022-23 | $14,434 3.86% | $16,072 6.14% |
| 2023-24 | $15,097 6.91% | $17,103 8.25% |
| 2024-25 | $15,846 5.19% | $17,868 7.20% |