What are the best colleges in Missouri? Here’s what new national ranking says
Colleges and universities across Missouri are back in session, and with the new school year kicking off, there’s a new report for the best colleges in the state.
As part of its annual Best College rankings, Niche released its 2025 list of the country’s best schools based on millions of reviews and several metrics and statistics from the U.S. Department of Education.
The top college on Niche’s ranking is Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. The top school in Missouri is also in the top 20, according to the rankings.
Washington University in St. Louis received the top ranking in the state. It’s also the 20th best college in the United States.
The private university opened in 1853 and is named after former President George Washington. The school has an acceptance rate of 12% and hosts over 15,000 students, according to the university’s latest enrollment data.
The school received an overall grade A+ from Niche for its academics, professors and campus diversity. Here’s how the school ranked in other Niche categories:
Academics: A+
Diversity: A+
Athletics: B
Professors: A+
Dorms: A
Student life: A+
Value: A
Campus: A
Party scene: A-
Location: A
Campus food: A-
Safety: A-
The university was also ranked No. 1 in Niche’s list of best colleges for a design major in the country and the sixth best college for accounting and finance.
Niche also ranked the best colleges and universities in Missouri, the rest of which are outside the top 100 on the national list. With Washington University leading, here’s the rest of the top 10 in the state:
- University of Missouri — Columbia: A
- University of Missouri — Kansas City: A-
- St. Louis University: A-
- Missouri University of Science and Technology: A-
- Truman State University: A-
- College of the Ozarks: A-
- University of Missouri — St. Louis: B+
- University of Central Missouri: B+
- Rockhurst University: B+
