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The University of Central Missouri (UCM) is a mid-sized campus located in Warrensburg, MO, a small town about an hour from Kansas City. The campus is home to around 8,000 undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students who are pursuing over 150 academic programs. Those students also have the benefit of qualified tutoring, career counseling, and mental health services, all covered by their tuition.


Overview of University of Central Missouri (UCM)


However, University of Central Missouri (UCM) students have more to do than study and prepare for brilliant careers. After class, students often head to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center where they can take fitness classes, summit a climbing wall, or play a pick-up game of basketball. Students are also able to compete in intramural sports that include indoor soccer, pickleball, badminton, dodgeball, disc golf, and even fantasy football, among other sports. Students who desire a higher level of competition, but not quite varsity-level athleticism, can play club sports such as rugby, inline hockey, trap & skeet, climbing, and bowling.

The UCM campus also supports social organizations such as Greek societies and over 185 other organizations that focus on topics that include politics, social issues, academics, and personal interests. Each of these organizations offer students the opportunity to find fellowship with like-minded individuals, as well as leadership opportunities.

General Information


School Type Public
Campus Setting Town: Distant
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 17:1
Graduation Rate 51%
Year Founded 1871

Student Enrollment


Total Students11,229

Undergraduate
8,904
Graduate
2,325

Undergraduate Student

Male 4,007
4,007
Female 4,897
4,897

Graduate Student

Male 1,046
1,046
Female 1,279
1,279

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UCM Acceptance Rate and Admissions


APPLICATIONS5,699

Male 2,378
Female 3,321

ACCEPTANCE3,704

Male 1,546
Female 2,159

Acceptance Rate65%

Male 65%
Female 65%

Enrollment 1,259

Male 581
Female 678
Admissions
Application Fee $30
High School GPA Required
High School Rank Recommended
High School Transcripts Required
College Prep Courses Recommended
Recommendations NA
SAT/ACT Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Required
Application Deadline Rolling
Common Application Accepted Yes

UCM Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


The cost of education is a big issue for students and their families. Since UCM is a public institution, their tuition rates are more affordable than most private colleges and universities. The tuition is lower for Missouri residents than students from out of state. For Missouri residents, the gross cost of tuition, books, supplies, and other associated costs is $10,000. Meanwhile, out-of-state students pay $18,000.

Naturally, college is about more than courses and books. Students need to cover the cost of living including housing, food, and other expenses. UCM reports that students should expect to pay around $12,000 for living costs, whether they live on or off campus. The cost to live off campus could be higher or lower, however, depending on where students choose to live. This means that Missouri residents have gross costs of around $22,000 and their out-of-state peers face a bill of $30,000. That is until the financial aid office applies grants and scholarships.

Once those savings are applied, the average net price of a year at UCM falls to $14,000, including living costs. That number falls to $11,000 for the lowest income families but does not exceed $17,000 for the highest earning households. Thus, given the strong academic statistics UCM posts, the university offers a fantastic value in higher education.

Average net price 2018-2019
Net Price $13,098
Average Total Aid $5,739
Students Receiving Financial Aid 94%
Room & Board $8,962

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $7,969
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $14,715
  • Books and Supplies - $1,250
  • Room & Board - $8,962
  • Other - $2,450

Academics


To ensure that students make their best choice of college, our researchers scour every available resource. They sought out UCM's academic statistics to determine its worthiness for students. Indeed, UCM posts strong stats for its retention rate, graduation rate, and student-to-faculty ratio. The retention rate is a statistic that measures how many first-time, full-time students return to campus for a second year. UCM posts a stunning 75% retention rate, which indicates a very high level of satisfaction with the school's curriculum, faculty, campus resources, and even student body. This satisfaction continues through graduation for many.

In fact, UCM posts a 53% graduation rate that is paired with a 29% transfer-out rate. Since most transfer students move on to a more competitive institution or one with a specific degree they desire, these students are considered likely graduation candidates. Thus, together these rates may reflect as much as an 82% graduation rate. That is, even if they don't graduate from UCM, it's highly likely that an incoming first-year student will receive a college diploma that has a foundation at UCM.

UCM's strong retention and graduation numbers may be due to many factors, but researchers point to one quantifiable metric: the student-to-faculty ratio. UCM has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 15:1. This means that students can receive a lot of attention from professors and instructors. Such hands-on attention tends to result in positive student outcomes.

Student Population Total


Student Population 11,229

Undergraduate
8,904
Graduate
2,325
Evening Classes : Yes
Online Learning : Yes

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


Health Professions and Related Programs 266 Total Graduates / 14%
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 156 Graduates
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 45 Graduates
Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 23 Graduates
Dietetics/Dietitian 18 Graduates
All Education Majors 242 Total Graduates / 13%
Elementary Education and Teaching 103 Graduates
Secondary Education and Teaching 44 Graduates
Education, Other 23 Graduates
Special Education and Teaching, General 23 Graduates
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 239 Total Graduates / 13%
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 58 Graduates
Business Administration and Management, General 47 Graduates
Accounting 37 Graduates
Construction Management, General 34 Graduates
Engineering/Engineering-related Technologies/Technicians 147 Total Graduates / 8%
Occupational Safety and Health Technology/Technician 53 Graduates
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians, Other 18 Graduates
CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician 17 Graduates
Industrial Technology/Technician 16 Graduates
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services 147 Total Graduates / 8%
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 129 Graduates
Crisis/Emergency/Disaster Management 18 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 45%

Outcome & Salary


Prospective students considering attending the University of Central Missouri might ask how much their degree will be worth after graduation. Though no salary nor career is guaranteed with any degree, researchers do look at salary data collected from alumni. This gives students an idea of what to expect, if not an iron-clad guarantee.

Of the top-earning degrees from UCM, the construction management graduates report the highest median income of $67,000. Of the top five earning degrees, the registered nursing students have the fifth highest median income, reporting a robust $60,000 for their first year in scrubs. In the middle of the pack, middling earnings come from the computer science students, who report $65,000 for their entry-level earnings. Note that these figures only count salary, not bonuses, benefits, or other ancillary forms of compensation. And these are only entry-level salaries. These professionals will earn more as they gain experience and, possibly, certifications in their profession.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $48,400
College Grads Average Salary $68,228
College Grads Mid Career Salary $82,700
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $682,280
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $1,509,280
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $52,392
10 Year Projected ROI $629,888
20 Year Projected ROI $1,456,888
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

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