44 Best colleges for Liberal Arts & Social Sciences in Missouri

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Missouri ranked based on their research performance in Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. A graph of 6.95M citations received by 208K academic papers made by 44 universities in Missouri was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#40 in the United States

#45 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,408

2. University of Missouri - Columbia

Columbia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#62 in the United States

#74 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 97%

3. Saint Louis University

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#160 in the United States

#185 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $27,749

4. University of Missouri - Kansas City

Kansas

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#195 in the United States

#224 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1420
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

5. University of Missouri - St Louis

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#209 in the United States

#240 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

6. Missouri University of Science and Technology

Rolla

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#260 in the United States

#293 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 99%

7. Missouri State University - Springfield

Springfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#333 in the United States

#374 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 95%

8. Park University

Parkville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#559 in the United States

#614 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $19,519
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $9,820

9. Truman State University

Kirksville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#578 in the United States

#634 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 100%

10. University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#591 in the United States

#648 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $7,811

11. Southeast Missouri State University

Cape Girardeau

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#626 in the United States

#686 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $8,512

12. Lindenwood University

St. Charles

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#657 in the United States

#722 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,901
Receiving Aid: 100%

13. A T Still University of Health Sciences

Kirksville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#708 in the United States

#774 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 3,466
Male:Female: 33:67
Founded: 1892

14. Webster University

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#782 in the United States

#851 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $29,503

15. Northwest Missouri State University

Maryville

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#873 in the United States

#943 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

16. Drury University

Springfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#901 in the United States

#973 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 58%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $21,903

17. Missouri Western State University

St. Joseph

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#908 in the United States

#980 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $9,245
Enrollment: 3,716

18. Rockhurst University

Kansas

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#977 in the United States

#1049 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $25,787
Receiving Aid: 100%

19. Columbia College - Missouri

Columbia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1000 in the United States

#1076 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $21,530
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $15,882

20. Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

Kansas

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1070 in the United States

#1147 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 2,109
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1916

21. St. Louis College of Pharmacy

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1101 in the United States

#1179 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1148
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $33,147

22. Maryville University of Saint Louis

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1137 in the United States

#1215 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $22,983
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $19,025

23. Culver-Stockton College

Canton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1138 in the United States

#1216 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Net Price: $21,996
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,125

24. Avila University

Kansas

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1173 in the United States

#1251 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 880
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $17,004

25. Southwest Baptist University

Bolivar

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1197 in the United States

#1275 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1010
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $21,336

26. Westminster College - Missouri

Fulton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1281 in the United States

#1361 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1120
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $24,358

27. Missouri Southern State University

Joplin

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1284 in the United States

#1364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 95%

28. Stephens College

Columbia

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1300 in the United States

#1380 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Net Price: $23,194
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,341

29. Fontbonne University

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1305 in the United States

#1385 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $19,519
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,147

30. William Jewell College

Liberty

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1306 in the United States

#1386 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $19,294

31. Lincoln University - Missouri

Jefferson

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1307 in the United States

#1387 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 87%
Average Aid: $9,595
Enrollment: 2,054

32. Central Methodist University - College of Graduate and Extended Studies

Fayette

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1348 in the United States

#1429 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $14,601
Receiving Aid: 90%

33. Concordia Seminary

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1372 in the United States

#1454 in North America

Enrollment: 589
Male:Female: 88:12

34. Evangel University

Springfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1389 in the United States

#1472 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,261

35. Logan University

Chesterfield

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1408 in the United States

#1491 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $21,455
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $8,435

36. Covenant Theological Seminary

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1467 in the United States

#1553 in North America

Enrollment: 550
Male:Female: 62:38

37. Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1497 in the United States

#1584 in North America

Enrollment: 539
Male:Female: 12:88
Founded: 1902

38. Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Kansas

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1500 in the United States

#1588 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $23,750
Receiving Aid: 72%
Average Aid: $5,476

39. Aquinas Institute of Theology

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1538 in the United States

#1627 in North America

Enrollment: 110
Male:Female: 61:39

40. College of the Ozarks

Point Lookout

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1674 in the United States

#1765 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $11,637

41. Missouri Valley College

Marshall

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1702 in the United States

#1793 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1005
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $18,923

42. William Woods University

Fulton

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1720 in the United States

#1811 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Net Price: $27,092
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $22,204

43. Missouri Baptist University

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1729 in the United States

#1820 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average ACT: 15
Net Price: $27,623
Receiving Aid: 100%

44. Harris-Stowe State University

St. Louis

For Liberal Arts & Social Sciences

#1751 in the United States

#1842 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,325
Enrollment: 1,002

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Illinois	79	12
Iowa	32	44
Arkansas	18	146
Kansas	22	74
Indiana	38	39
Oklahoma	22	103
Tennessee	39	46
Mississippi	15	177
Kentucky	29	60
Wisconsin	36	14
Nebraska	15	87
Alabama	30	82
Louisiana	27	79
Minnesota	30	18
Michigan	47	3
Ohio	67	19
South Dakota	12	331
Georgia	52	42
West Virginia	20	120
Texas	89	21
Colorado	24	52
South Carolina	32	68
North Carolina	50	20
Virginia	42	37
North Dakota	9	216
New Mexico	9	100
Pennsylvania	114	9
District of Columbia	13	48
Maryland	28	8
Delaware	4	97
Florida	70	31
New York	146	6
New Jersey	29	22
Utah	11	45
Montana	9	166
Connecticut	22	10
Vermont	12	124
Arizona	10	29
Massachusetts	75	1
Rhode Island	9	56
New Hampshire	13	84
Idaho	7	193
Maine	16	199
Nevada	8	149
Oregon	21	96
California	147	2
Washington	39	5
Puerto Rico	15	414
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	7	106