POPULATION (2021): 6.2 million
CAPITAL: Jefferson City
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN MISSOURI: University of Missouri
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN MISSOURI: Washington University of St. Louis
Known as the “Show Me State,” Missouri and its inhabitants take a lot of pride in sharing the beauty of their large, midwestern state. Some say Missouri is in the south, and no one is wrong, as the state has a lot of diversity and different influences. Even historically speaking, it was one of a couple of states that didn’t claim a side in the Civil War (though the enlistment numbers were 109,000 to the Union and 30,000 to the Confederacy), and the northern/southern mesh makes Missouri a unique and pretty wonderful place for college.
Most of the population is located in the two largest cities, Kansas City and St. Louis, and both cities are home to several colleges and universities and all of the big city life some students look for, including major sports teams, arena-sized concerts and festivals, nightlife options, and a lot of new people to meet.
For students in smaller towns, there is still always a nice place to hang out and listen to some music on the weekends, and nowhere in the state is boring, as long as you know where to look for the fun! Here is a closer look at the college landscape in the Show Me State.
Universities in Missouri – 4-Year Colleges and Online
St. Louis and Kansas City both have populations upwards of 250,000 people, so it’s no surprise that the majority of the colleges in Missouri are located near these new cities. There are 10 colleges in the state with more than 10,000 students, with the University of Missouri (aka Mizzou) and Missouri State boasting the two largest student bodies. There are several other options, though!
Public Universities in Missouri
As mentioned above, Mizzou and Missouri State (in Columbia and Springfield, respectively) are the two largest public universities in Missouri, and for students looking for the classic college experience, look no further. Both campuses have Division 1 sports teams, plenty of places for studying respite, and large, diverse student bodies allowing attendees to meet new people and network.
The biggest schools aren’t the only schools, though, and there is a handful of other colleges and universities in Missouri that offer 4-year degrees, and two of them are satellite campuses of UM. Here they are:
- UM – Kansas City
- UM – St. Louis
- Missouri University of Science and Technology
- University of Central Missouri
- Southeast Missouri State University
- Truman State University
- Missouri Western State University
- Missouri Southern State University
- Lincoln University
- Harris-Stowe State University
Private Universities in Missouri
Missouri also has several private universities that offer 4-year degrees, most of which are near St. Louis and Kansas City (check out the city highlights in a few sections below). Here is a list, with the city in parentheses:
- Washington University (St. Louis)
- Saint Louis University (St. Louis)
- Lindenwood University (St. Charles)
- Park University (Parkwood)
- Drury University (Springfield)
- Webster University (Webster Groves)
- Missouri Baptist (St. Louis)
- Maryville University (Town and Country)
- Columbia College (Columbia)
- Rockhurst University (Kansas City)
- Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar)
- William Woods University (Fulton)
- Fontbonne University (Clayton)
- Evangel University (Springfield)
- Avila University (Kansas City)
- Missouri Valley College
- American Business and Technology University
- College of the Ozarks
- Hannibal-LaGrange University
- Westminster College
- William Jewell College
- Central Methodist University
- Stephens College
- Culver-Stockton College
- Cottey College
Community Colleges in Missouri
Here are the community college offerings for those aspiring students who want a more affordable option when looking for a 2-year degree in Missouri. The State Technical College of Missouri has 7 campuses throughout the state:
- Crowder College
- East Central College
- Jefferson College
- Metropolitan Community College
- Mineral Area College
- Missouri State University–West Plains
- Moberly Area Community College
- North Central Missouri College
- Ozarks Technical Community College
- St. Charles Community College
- St. Louis Community College
- State Fair Community College
- State Technical College of Missouri
- Three Rivers Community College
Prominent Online Colleges in Missouri
Both of the major state universities have robust online offerings, and Park University, Webster University, and Central Methodist are all ranked very high according to student reviews online.
Universities in Kansas City, MO
Kansas City, which does indeed lie on the state border of Missouri and Kansas, has a growing economy and a wonderful mix of Southern and Midwestern culture. Hospitality is in high supply, and the nightlife is lively, too. For the outdoors types, many students enjoy spending weekends outside of the city at one of several weekend getaways on a river or in the woods. Here is a look at the 4-year universities you should take a look at if you want to go to college in Kansas City:
- Avila University
- Cavalry University
- Concorde Career College
- Kansas City Art Institute
- Research College of Nursing
- Rockhurst University
- U of M – Kansas City
Universities in Saint Louis, MO
Saint Louis has a similar collegiate landscape as its cross-state counterpart, Kansas City. Here is a list of the colleges and universities with 4-year degrees in St. Louis:
- Fontbonne University
- Harris-Stowe State University
- Maryville University of St. Louis
- Saint Louis University
- Saint Louis College of Pharmacy
- Stevens Institute of Business & Arts
- U of M – St. Louis
- Washington University
- Webster University
Universities in Springfield, MO
Springfield is the capital and third-largest city in Missouri, and while it doesn’t have as many options for college as Saint Louis and Kansas City, the schools are prestigious, and students who go to school in Springfield love the atmosphere and what the city has to offer young people. Here are the colleges and universities with 4-year degrees:
- Bryan University
- Cox College
- Drury University
- Missouri State University – Springfield
Get to Know Missouri
Located near the center of the country, Missouri has all 4 seasons, with many of them quite extreme in some locations. The summers are hot and humid, and make the rivers and lakes look very inviting, and the winters get cold, and snow is a pretty regular thing, albeit not in 2-foot drops like some northern states.
The people are very welcoming, and the food brings people from all over the world, specifically the steaks and the barbecue! For many people, one major putoff of city life is traffic, but both major cities of Kansas City and St. Louis are known for being very navigable, with much thanks to good public transportation, a necessity for many college students on a budget.
The Ozark region of Missouri has enjoyed some recent fame thanks to the TV show, but it has been a local gem for a long, long time. The Ozarks offer endless acreage of exploration for hikers, but people who prefer to drive to their wilderness destinations also have many places to camp next to a car and enjoy the unique flora and fauna found in Missouri.
For the inside types, blues music and hip-hop have heavy roots in Missouri and continue to influence the Mizzou arts culture today.