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.
Missouri Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Missouri colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 26.83%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 33.46%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $37,230 when living on campus and $39,732 when living off campus.
Missouri Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
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.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At Missouri colleges, living costs increased by 33.43% for on-campus and 49.27% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $15,846 (on-campus) and $18,348 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (0.18%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,125.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
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.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of Missouri Colleges
| 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% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
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.
Tuition & Fees Changes for Missouri Colleges
| 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% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
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.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Missouri Colleges
| 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% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
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.
Living Costs Changes for Missouri Colleges
| 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% |
|---|