Best Online Colleges in Missouri of 2024

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Are you considering one or more online colleges in Missouri? Remote learning makes it easier than ever to earn a degree and the state is home to many institutions with credible academic programs at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Prospective students are able to select from a wide variety of majors, minors, and professional certificates.

Online colleges and universities in Missouri have a lot to offer. Not only do students benefit from flexible scheduling, but they will also gain the knowledge and skills necessary to obtain employment. Degrees, even at the associate level, make candidates more competitive in the job market. In general, employers are more likely to hire individuals who possess degrees than they are those who do not. This is because graduates are perceived as better qualified and prepared to succeed in the workplace. Earning an online degree can also improve earning potential.

As of March 2022, the civilian labor force in Missouri was 3,087,759. Of these employable individuals, 2,978,012 had jobs and 114,288 did not. The resulting unemployment rate for the state was 3.6, down significantly from the high of 11.2 in April 2020. The state’s lowest unemployment rate since 2012 was 2.9, which it sustained from May 2019 to July 2019.

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Online Higher Education in Missouri

There were a total of 346,402 students enrolled in Missouri colleges and universities during the 2021-2022 academic year. This includes 272,363 undergraduate and 74,039 graduate school students. More than a third of students were enrolled part-time.

Many students in Missouri do take advantage of distance learning opportunities. A total of 103,251 students attended online classes exclusively, while another 128,096 were enrolled in some online classes. The remaining 115,055 students received instruction in person only. This means that over 66% of undergraduate and graduate students in the state took at least one online class during the 2020-2021 academic year.

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In 2022, the average cost of undergraduate tuition and fees was $6,499 per academic year for Michigan residents. Non-residents paid more, however, with average tuition and fees of $12,373 for the same period. Notably, master’s program tuition is higher. In-state graduate students paid an average of $9,202, while the average cost of out-of-state graduate students was $17,265. Urshan College had the lowest rates and Washington University in St. Louis had the highest rates.

Prospective students should also anticipate paying for general living expenses, books, and supplies. In 2022, the average cost of books and supplies was $1,941. This is a significant increase from the year before, when the average was only $1,242. Additionally, the average living costs of Missouri colleges and universities was $13,467 for students staying on campus and $14,501 for students staying off campus.

Online colleges in Missouri can help students save money while working toward degrees. Many institutions charge lower tuition and fee rates for distance learners. At the very least, these students do not have to pay campus parking and activity fees typically required of traditional attendees. Those attending classes remotely are also still capable of applying for financial aid. In fact, online students are encouraged to complete and submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms regardless of their enrollment status. Online students can also apply for independent and institutional scholarships.

Our School Rankings Methodology

Prospective students often use college and university rankings when deciding which academic programs to pursue. Referencing the information provided can prove very beneficial when comparing options. Ideally, students will utilize the data to ensure their degree selections suit their personal, academic, and professional goals.

Our team uses a proprietary ratings system to rank the Missouri schools offering online degree programs. This increases accuracy and ensures that the results are applicable to every type of student.

Some of the data types utilized to generate our rankings include:

Average Graduate Salary
Graduation Rate
Net Price
Reputation
Retention Rate
Student-to-Faculty Ratio

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Additionally, we focus our list only on colleges and universities that are properly accredited and offer credible online courses. We are thorough in our investigations and assessments so students can trust our picks for top online academic options in Missouri. We also carefully consider the overall the quality and affordability of each institution before adding it to the list.