Missouri · Getting in
Most selective colleges in Missouri
The short answer
The most selective four-year colleges in Missouri are WashU (12% admitted), College of the Ozarks (12% admitted) and William Jewell College (38% admitted), by acceptance rate.
Selective here means a low acceptance rate: the share of applicants the college admitted. A low rate says how many people a college turns away, not how good a fit it is for you. Each row also shows the average price after grants.
The list (18 of 33)
Four-year colleges in Missouri with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest acceptance rate first. The list shows 18 of the 33 colleges with an acceptance rate on file. Rates come from IPEDS (fall 2024) for 16 colleges and each college's own Common Data Set (fall 2025) for 2 colleges.
- Washington University in St Louis 12% admitted St. Louis, MO · Average price after grants: $13,360 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- College of the Ozarks 12% admitted Point Lookout, MO · Average price after grants: $13,114 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- William Jewell College 38% admitted Liberty, MO · Average price after grants: $19,678 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Kansas City Art Institute 55% admitted Kansas City, MO · Average price after grants: $31,165 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 57% admitted Fayette, MO · Average price after grants: $21,697 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Drury University 58% admitted Springfield, MO · Average price after grants: $23,078 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Lindenwood University 60% admitted Saint Charles, MO · Average price after grants: $21,443 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: Common Data Set, fall 2025
- University of Missouri-St Louis 63% admitted Saint Louis, MO · Average price after grants: $14,990 a year in-state, about $37,054 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Central Missouri 64% admitted Warrensburg, MO · Average price after grants: $15,554 a year in-state, about $24,464 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Southwest Baptist University 68% admitted Bolivar, MO · Average price after grants: $21,174 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Missouri Baptist University 69% admitted Saint Louis, MO · Average price after grants: $27,032 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Missouri Valley College 69% admitted Marshall, MO · Average price after grants: $24,230 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Rockhurst University 70% admitted Kansas City, MO · Average price after grants: $24,702 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- William Woods University 71% admitted Fulton, MO · Average price after grants: $26,458 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Evangel University 72% admitted Springfield, MO · Average price after grants: $19,152 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- University of Missouri-Kansas City 72% admitted Kansas City, MO · Average price after grants: $13,778 a year in-state, about $32,300 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Missouri University of Science and Technology 73% admitted Rolla, MO · Average price after grants: $15,772 a year in-state, about $34,960 out of state (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
- Southeast Missouri State University 74% admitted Cape Girardeau, MO · Average price after grants: $17,110 a year (College Scorecard, 2024-25) Source: IPEDS, fall 2024
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What are the most selective colleges in Missouri?
The most selective four-year colleges in Missouri are WashU (12% admitted), College of the Ozarks (12% admitted) and William Jewell College (38% admitted), by acceptance rate.
How many colleges on this list admit fewer than half of applicants?
3 of the 18 colleges listed admitted fewer than half of their applicants.
How recent are these acceptance rates?
Each row shows its year. Rates come from IPEDS, the federal college survey, for students who applied for fall 2024, or from the college's own Common Data Set for fall 2025 where that is newer.
Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.