Best Political Science Colleges in Missouri2026 Rankings
Missouri is home to 28 accredited institutions offering Political Science programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, Washington University in St Louis is the most selective, admitting 12% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $22,965, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $27,157. Median early-career earnings for Political Science graduates in this state average $36,594 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 55%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington University in St LouisPrivate | Elite· 49 | 12% | 94% | $1,863 | $57,622 | 7:1 | 86 | 7,897 |
| 2 | Saint Louis UniversityPrivate | Great· 41 | 81% | 80% | $22,950 | $30,502 | 8:1 | 74 | 7,324 |
| 3 | Rockhurst UniversityPrivate | Great· 41 | 69% | 76% | $20,581 | $63,703 | 12:1 | 39 | 1,702 |
| 4 | Truman State UniversityPublic | Great· 39 | 80% | 68% | $11,125 | $39,813 | 12:1 | 38 | 2,666 |
| 5 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaPublic | Great· 39 | 77% | 76% | $15,707 | $37,722 | 17:1 | 84 | 23,118 |
| 6 | William Jewell CollegePrivate | Strong· 37 | 34% | 62% | $11,954 | $55,771 | 10:1 | 44 | 868 |
| 7 | University of Missouri-St LouisPublic | Strong· 37 | 57% | 57% | $12,980 | $36,050 | 13:1 | 45 | 5,108 |
| 8 | Drury UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 59% | 66% | $19,602 | $37,849 | 13:1 | 59 | 1,367 |
| 9 | Avila UniversityPrivate | Strong· 36 | 60% | 43% | $15,084 | $46,449 | 13:1 | 42 | 1,192 |
| 10 | University of Missouri-Kansas CityPublic | Strong· 35 | 75% | 56% | $11,602 | $48,700 | 14:1 | 48 | 6,618 |
| 11 | Lindenwood UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 66% | 50% | $17,960 | $41,999 | 13:1 | 69 | 4,748 |
| 12 | Evangel UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 69% | 65% | $18,882 | $36,453 | 12:1 | 48 | 1,205 |
| 13 | William Woods UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 74% | 57% | $21,217 | $36,372 | 11:1 | 39 | 1,061 |
| 14 | Southeast Missouri State UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 79% | 56% | $13,576 | $38,184 | 20:1 | 61 | 6,588 |
| 15 | Westminster CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 78% | 57% | $24,412 | $35,551 | 10:1 | 63 | 592 |
| 16 | Webster UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 58% | 61% | $24,193 | $56,006 | 15:1 | 59 | 2,180 |
| 17 | University of Central MissouriPublic | Good· 32 | 69% | 49% | $14,997 | $35,556 | 19:1 | 72 | 5,653 |
| 18 | Missouri Southern State UniversityPublic | Good· 31 | 97% | 38% | $12,646 | $38,813 | 16:1 | 36 | 3,101 |
| 19 | Southwest Baptist UniversityPrivate | Good· 30 | 100% | 51% | $20,785 | $43,499 | 10:1 | 43 | 1,339 |
| 20 | Northwest Missouri State UniversityPublic | Good· 30 | 86% | 57% | $13,258 | $40,274 | 19:1 | 61 | 4,550 |
| 21 | Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and SciencesPrivate | Average· 29 | 88% | 53% | $24,195 | $41,468 | 11:1 | 45 | 1,015 |
| 22 | Missouri State University-SpringfieldPublic | Average· 28 | 91% | 57% | $16,688 | $37,944 | 21:1 | 79 | 13,407 |
| 23 | Culver-Stockton CollegePrivate | Average· 27 | 98% | 50% | $22,385 | $35,446 | 17:1 | 34 | 884 |
| 24 | Park UniversityPrivate | Average· 26 | — | 30% | $15,902 | $51,212 | 13:1 | 47 | 5,250 |
| 25 | Missouri Western State UniversityPublic | Average· 26 | — | 40% | $12,834 | $41,832 | 14:1 | 46 | 2,372 |
| 26 | Lincoln UniversityPublic | Fair· 24 | — | 22% | $18,340 | $37,139 | 13:1 | 31 | 1,357 |
| 27 | Harris-Stowe State UniversityPublic | Fair· 24 | — | 27% | $15,521 | $31,623 | 14:1 | 21 | 1,086 |
| 28 | Columbia CollegePrivate | Weak· 18 | — | 46% | $24,477 | $45,482 | 20:1 | 39 | 5,359 |