Missouri is home to 29 community colleges with two-year associate programs, according to data from College Navigator.
According to College Board, in-district students enrolled in a two-year community college program in Missouri paid $4,276 in tuition and fees for the 2022-23 academic year.
For the 2019-20 academic year, 452,493 students enrolled in an associate degree program at a community college received financial aid to help them pay tuition costs.
This list features some of the best community colleges in Missouri. Each school featured is a nonprofit, accredited institution — either public or private — with a high standard of academic quality for post-secondary institutions. We included small, midsize, and large colleges as well as trade, technical, and vocational programs. Next, we compared this comprehensive list to a list of aggregated college rankings from reputable publications like the U.S. News & World Report among others to simplify a student’s college search. We pored through these rankings so students don’t have to.
The colleges on our list are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), a reputable organization that examines objectives, quality and overall effectiveness of education programs in the United States.
We evaluated each school on tuition costs, admission, retention and graduation rates, faculty, and reputation as well as the student resources provided for students. Then we calculated the Intelligent Score on a scale of 0 to 100. Read more about our ranking methodology.
One place to start your search for an associate program is by researching the highest-paying jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that air traffic controllers, avionics technicians, and nuclear medicine technologists are the three highest-paying associate-level careers in Missouri.
The jobs with the most projected openings is another piece of data to consider when searching for the right Missouri community college. Preschool teachers, paralegals, and computer network support specialists should see plenty of new jobs between 2021 to 2031. Physical therapist assistants and radiologic technicians rank fourth and fifth, respectively, when it comes to the number of jobs.
Knowing which careers are on the decline can also help you choose the right two-year program. Human resources assistants and embalmers rank first and second for associate-level careers with a rapid decline. Mechanical drafters also rank high on the declining jobs list.
Learn about the financial aid opportunities that may be available to you by visiting these state and federal websites. These resources are filled with information about the grants, scholarships, and other programs that can help you pay for community college tuition in Missouri.