Best small colleges in Missouri
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in Missouri31 schools
31 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in Missouri.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#2 in Missouri
- 1,427 undergraduates
- 64% graduate
- 2
Bolivar Technical College
Bolivar, MO · Private nonprofitTop 4% for graduation
- 144 undergraduates
- 92% graduate
- 3
Ranken Technical College
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit#5 in Missouri
- 1,696 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 4
Chamberlain University-Missouri
St. Louis, MO · Private for-profitTop 1% for graduation
- 328 undergraduates
- 100% graduate
- 5
- 6
- 7
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cape Girardeau, MO · Private nonprofitTop 11% for low debt
- 147 undergraduates
- 75% graduate
- 8
- 9
Evangel University
Springfield, MO · Private nonprofit#17 in Missouri
- 1,427 undergraduates
- 65% graduate
- 10
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofitTop 1% for earnings
- 275 undergraduates
- 62% graduate
- 11
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, MO · Private nonprofit#21 in Missouri
- 789 undergraduates
- 58% graduate
- 12
St. Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton
Fenton, MO · Private for-profitTop 11% for low debt
- 401 undergraduates
- 59% graduate
- 13
- 14
Hannibal-LaGrange University
Hannibal, MO · Private nonprofit#26 in Missouri
- 402 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 15
Evangel University-College of Online Learning
Springfield, MO · Private nonprofit#30 in Missouri
- 241 undergraduates
- 50% graduate
- 16
Southwest Baptist University
Bolivar, MO · Private nonprofit#31 in Missouri
- 1,622 undergraduates
- 55% graduate
- 17
Westminster College
Fulton, MO · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- 593 undergraduates
- 55% graduate
- 18
Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Fayette, MO · Private nonprofitTop 25% for low debt
- 1,017 undergraduates
- 51% graduate
- 19
- 20
Concorde Career College-Kansas City
Kansas City, MO · Private for-profitTop 6% for low debt
- 240 undergraduates
- 53% graduate
- 21
Logan University
Chesterfield, MO · Private nonprofitTop 8% for low debt
- 272 undergraduates
- 22% graduate
- 22
Drury University-College of Continuing Professional Studies
Springfield, MO · Private nonprofitTop 17% for low net price
- 716 undergraduates
- 43% graduate
- 23
- 24
- 25
Harris-Stowe State University
Saint Louis, MO · PublicTop 15% for low net price
- 1,098 undergraduates
- 28% graduate
Compare cost and outcomes
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Carolina 34
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15