Best Nursing Schools in Missouri (2026): Rankings and Reviews

Missouri has more than 20 colleges producing BSN graduates, from Saint Louis University to large public universities and specialist health colleges. This guide ranks them using official federal data and reviews the top five.

Imagine you are choosing between a Jesuit university in St. Louis, the state flagship in Columbia and a smaller college in Kansas City. All lead to an RN licence, but outcomes and costs differ. Here is what the data shows.

How we ranked these schools

We used the latest official data from the US Department of Education’s College Scorecard. We included colleges in Missouri that award a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN), and ranked those producing at least 20 BSN graduates a year by their graduation rate. We also show how much their nursing graduates earn and what tuition costs. Graduation rates are for each college as a whole, not nursing students alone.

Missouri nursing schools ranked (2026)

Rank	College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
1	Saint Louis University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit	79%	180	$79,921	$57,960
2	University of Missouri-Columbia	Columbia	Public	76%	245	$76,467	$15,548
3	Rockhurst University	Kansas City	Private nonprofit	73%	154	$78,440	$46,270
4	Truman State University	Kirksville	Public	71%	50	$69,575	$10,220
5	William Jewell College	Liberty	Private nonprofit	65%	20	$75,796	$21,538
6	Maryville University of Saint Louis	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit	64%	159	$73,162	$27,166
7	Webster University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit	61%	21	$95,627	$32,690
8	University of Missouri-St Louis	Saint Louis	Public	59%	126	$72,151	$14,812
9	Southeast Missouri State University	Cape Girardeau	Public	59%	67	$72,532	$10,194
10	Missouri State University-Springfield	Springfield	Public	58%	145	$70,667	$10,128
11	University of Missouri-Kansas City	Kansas City	Public	56%	78	$76,560	$13,216
12	Northwest Missouri State University	Maryville	Public	53%	39	$80,800	$11,037
13	University of Central Missouri	Warrensburg	Public	53%	97	$74,264	$10,457
14	Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences	Fayette	Private nonprofit	50%	35	$79,387	$29,460
15	Southwest Baptist University	Bolivar	Private nonprofit	49%	37	$67,922	$31,500
16	Missouri Baptist University	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit	49%	41	$69,234	$36,084
17	Avila University	Kansas City	Private nonprofit	48%	20	$67,115	$41,540
18	Columbia College	Columbia	Private nonprofit	46%	48	$78,222	$27,404
19	Missouri Southern State University	Joplin	Public	40%	21	$74,541	$9,240
20	Missouri Western State University	Saint Joseph	Public	37%	82	$77,646	$11,056
21	Park University	Parkville	Private nonprofit	37%	26	$80,816	$18,000
22	Lincoln University	Jefferson City	Public	23%	23	n/a	$10,180

Also offering a BSN in Missouri (not ranked: either a comparable graduation rate isn’t reported, often because they mainly enrol transfer, upper-division or adult students, or they’re for-profit career colleges whose college-wide rates aren’t comparable with universities):

College	City	Type	Graduation rate	BSN graduates a year	BSN graduates’ median earnings (1 year)	In-state tuition
Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing	Saint Louis	Private nonprofit	n/a	232	$71,849	n/a
Research College of Nursing	Kansas City	Private for-profit	n/a	170	$80,430	n/a
Cox College	Springfield	Private nonprofit	n/a	145	$74,101	$14,822
Chamberlain University-Missouri	St. Louis	Private for-profit	n/a	113	$89,974	$20,845
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies	Fayette	Private nonprofit	n/a	95	$79,387	$7,200

Top Missouri nursing schools reviewed

1. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University’s Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing is a Jesuit nursing school with a long history, and tops our Missouri list.

• Graduation rate: 79%, number 1 in Missouri on our list
• Programme size: about 180 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $79,921 one year after graduating
• Cost: $57,960 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 75%

2. University of Missouri-Columbia

The University of Missouri’s Sinclair School of Nursing in Columbia is the state’s flagship public nursing school, linked to MU Health Care.

• Graduation rate: 76%, number 2 in Missouri on our list
• Programme size: about 245 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $76,467 one year after graduating
• Cost: $15,548 in-state tuition ($37,820 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 78%

3. Rockhurst University

Rockhurst University in Kansas City is a Jesuit university whose nursing programme expanded through its partnership with Saint Luke’s College of Health Sciences.

• Graduation rate: 73%, number 3 in Missouri on our list
• Programme size: about 154 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $78,440 one year after graduating
• Cost: $46,270 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 70%

4. Truman State University

Truman State University in Kirksville is Missouri’s selective public liberal arts university, with a small nursing programme.

• Graduation rate: 71%, number 4 in Missouri on our list
• Programme size: about 50 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $69,575 one year after graduating
• Cost: $10,220 in-state tuition ($19,289 out of state)
• Acceptance rate: 84%

5. William Jewell College

William Jewell College in Liberty, near Kansas City, is a private liberal arts college offering a BSN.

• Graduation rate: 65%, number 5 in Missouri on our list
• Programme size: about 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, a smaller programme with a more personal feel
• Early earnings: nursing graduates earned a median of $75,796 one year after graduating
• Cost: $21,538 tuition a year before financial aid
• Acceptance rate: 38%

Large programmes are also offered by the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Southeast Missouri State University, Missouri State University and Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College.

Ways to become a registered nurse in Missouri

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): a four-year degree, the route covered in this guide, preferred by many hospitals and required for most leadership and advanced roles.
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN): a two-year programme, often at community colleges, leading to the same NCLEX-RN exam. Many nurses later complete an RN-to-BSN degree, often online and part-time while working.
• Accelerated BSN (ABSN): for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree in another subject, usually 12 to 18 months of intensive study.
• Direct-entry master’s (MSN): offered by some universities for graduates of other fields.

Whichever route you choose, you must graduate from an approved programme and pass the NCLEX-RN exam to be licensed by the Missouri State Board of Nursing. Missouri is a member of the Nurse Licensure Compact, so a multistate licence lets you practise in other compact states.

Frequently asked questions

How many colleges in Missouri offer a BSN?

Based on the latest College Scorecard data, 27 colleges in Missouri produce at least 20 bachelor’s nursing graduates a year, together awarding around 2,469 BSN degrees annually. Some smaller programmes are not included.

Which Missouri nursing school has the highest graduation rate?

Saint Louis University has the highest college-wide graduation rate on our list, at 79%.

Which is the largest nursing programme in Missouri?

University of Missouri-Columbia produces the most bachelor’s nursing graduates in the state, about 245 a year.

How much do new BSN graduates earn in Missouri?

Across the colleges listed, the median first-year earnings of bachelor’s nursing graduates range from $67,115 to $95,627, with a typical (median) figure of about $76,132. Earnings depend on where graduates work, their shift patterns and whether they were already working as nurses.

How much does a public nursing degree cost in Missouri?

In-state tuition at the public universities on our list ranges from $9,240 to $15,548 a year, before fees, housing and financial aid.

But is a ranking enough to choose a school?

No ranking can tell you everything. Before you apply, also check:

• NCLEX pass rates: the Missouri State Board of Nursing publishes first-time NCLEX-RN pass rates for approved programmes. Look for consistently high rates over several years.
• Accreditation: make sure the BSN is accredited by CCNE or ACEN.
• Getting into the nursing major: many universities admit students as “pre-nursing” first. Ask what share progress into the nursing programme.
• Clinical placements: where students train and how placements are arranged.
• Total cost: use each college’s net price calculator to see your likely cost after financial aid.

Related: US nursing schools with the highest graduation rates · How to get into nursing school

Sources: US Department of Education College Scorecard (accessed November 2026), Missouri State Board of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Figures change every year; always confirm with the college.