2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Missouri
[Higher Education/Higher Education Administration](/majors/education/educational-administration/higher-education-higher-education-administration/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong higher education/higher education administration education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools.
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2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Missouri
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the higher education/higher education administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of Missouri St Louis the best value for a degree in higher education/higher education administration in Missouri. University Of Missouri St Louis is a large public school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $15,120 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $37,620. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $25,943 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Missouri St Louis earn a median of $54,832 early in their careers. Set against $25,943 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 63%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Southeast Missouri State University earned it the #2 place for higher education/higher education administration. Southeast Missouri State University is a large public school located in the city of Cape Girardeau. Students from in state pay about $9,903 in tuition and fees. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $23,289 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Southeast Missouri State University earn a median of $46,212 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Northwest Missouri State University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,611, with out-of-state students paying around $17,324. Students borrow a median of $23,585 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn a median of $42,939 early in their careers. Set against $23,585 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Northwest Missouri State University admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at University Of Central Missouri, which ranked #4. University Of Central Missouri is a large public school located in the town of Warrensburg. Students from in state pay about $10,050 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $18,600. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $24,304 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Central Missouri earn a median of $51,420 early in their careers. Set against $24,304 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Missouri State University Springfield is a great value for students pursuing a degree in higher education/higher education administration, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Springfield, Missouri State University Springfield is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,502, compared with $18,770 for out-of-state students. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $24,408 in student loans. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of $47,570 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Lindenwood University placed #6 among the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Located in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $21,600 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $28,663. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Lindenwood University generally make around $56,609. That is a strong return on a $28,663 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Missouri Columbia ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,837, while out-of-state students pay about $36,056. Students borrow a median of $21,818 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates of University Of Missouri Columbia earn a median of $66,860 early in their careers. Set against $21,818 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Missouri Baptist University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value higher education/higher education administration schools. Missouri Baptist University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Saint Louis. Students from in state pay about $33,122 in tuition and fees. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $27,337 in student loans. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Missouri Baptist University generally make around $51,409. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 69%.
Maryville University Of Saint Louis earned the #9 position for value in higher education/higher education administration this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, Maryville University Of Saint Louis is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $27,166. Students borrow a median of $24,499 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Maryville University Of Saint Louis generally make around $78,452. That is a strong return on a $24,499 median debt. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Saint Louis University Main Campus placed #10 among the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Saint Louis, Saint Louis University Main Campus is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $55,760. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $26,586 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $64,822. That is a strong return on a $26,586 median debt. Saint Louis University Main Campus admits about 75% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
