Most selective colleges in Missouri
Colleges that admit the smallest share of applicants.
Most selective colleges in Missouri19 schools
19 schools qualify, ranked by admission rate.
How this list is made
- Schools in Missouri.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has an admission rate from federal data (College Scorecard). Average SAT scores are shown where the college reports them.
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by admission rate, lowest first. Selectivity measures demand for places, not the quality of teaching.
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
- Admits 12%
- Average SAT 1118
- 2
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in Missouri
- Admits 12%
- Average SAT 1530
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Rockhurst University
Kansas City, MO · Private nonprofitTop 15% for graduation
- Admits 70%
- Average SAT 1120
- 8
- 9
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO · PublicTop 7% for earnings
- Admits 73%
- Average SAT 1317
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofitTop 1% for earnings
- Admits 90%
- Average SAT 1131
- 15
Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofitTop 24% for earnings
- Admits 95%
- 16
- 17Tie
- 17Tie
- 17Tie
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Cape Girardeau, MO · Private nonprofitTop 11% for low debt
- Admits 100%
- Average SAT 1020
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 5
- Arizona 4
- Arkansas 5
- California 57
- Colorado 7
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 20
- Georgia 9
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 21
- Indiana 21
- Iowa 16
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 7
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 9
- Maryland 16
- Massachusetts 46
- Michigan 21
- Minnesota 19
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 5
- New Jersey 17
- New York 79
- North Carolina 18
- Ohio 32
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 60
- Rhode Island 9
- South Carolina 9
- Tennessee 10
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 6
- Virginia 22
- Washington 12
- Wisconsin 15