Overview of Online Colleges in Missouri
Missouri’s state-run higher education system has expanded its online degree programs through Mizzou Online to more than 80 different degree programs, from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. In 2007, the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MoVIP) was established to offer online courses to Missouri public, private and homeschooled students in grades K-12. The University of Missouri System Online is also a member of WCET e-Learning Consortia, which allows institutions of higher education to pool their resources to help increase technology-based programs and courses. As of 2013, 39 of Missouri’s four-year colleges offer some form of online education.
Regrettably, state funding in Missouri is not likely to relieve the financial burden placed on many students, as total state appropriations dropped by -5% between 2006 and 2011. Fortunately for those students, Missouri’s tuition costs haven’t jumped nearly as high as the rest of the United States; in-state tuition at four-year public universities rose just 17.5% during the same time period, much less than the national average increase of 42%. In the future, however, state spending in higher education may be forced to increase along with the student population; enrollment has grown 10.4% in the last few years, and the first year retention rate for Missouri is 75%.
For more information on Missouri’s top online degree programs, explore our extensive database. Use the State Facts page to find financial planning resources, links to scholarship assistance organizations and loan options available and to see how Missouri looks compared to the national higher education averages.