University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, Missouri · Public · 63.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 48/100 · Below Average Value
University of Central Missouri scores ROI 48 (Below Average Value) - a public regional university in Warrensburg with 5,648 undergraduates and a mixed earnings story. Two programs carry the school's ROI case: Computer Science (72 graduates, $67,040 year-one, $90,822 four-year, B+ grade) and Registered Nursing (109 graduates, $70,840 year-one, $80,542 four-year, B grade). Both deliver strong debt-to-earnings ratios in the 0.32-0.36 range. The school's largest program by graduates is Teacher Education (133 graduates), which earns a D grade with a 0.704 debt-to-earnings ratio reflecting the structural reality of teacher salaries against student debt. The 54% completion rate is a serious weak point and the largest drag on overall ROI. At a $14,462 average net price, UCM is affordable for in-state Missouri students; the underwhelming 13.6-year payback period reflects the earnings ceiling of the dominant teacher education and criminal justice programs rather than any cost issue.
University of Central Missouri
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,050/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,600/yr |
| Average net price | $14,462/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $57,848 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $49,560 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $35,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $223 |
| Estimated payback period | 13.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 54.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,648 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at University of Central Missouri is $10,050/year ($18,600/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $14,462/year, or roughly $57,848 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $10,965/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,485/year.
The median graduate leaves with $21,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $223 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $49,560 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.60 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,965 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,254 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,408 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,931 |
| $110,001+ | $18,485 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $10,965 per year - affordable for a Missouri resident with Pell eligibility. Over four years (assuming completion), that is roughly $44,000 in total cost. The aid stack of Pell, Missouri Access state grant, and federal subsidized loans typically covers most of this for in-state low-income students. The financial issue at UCM is not cost - it is the 54% completion rate. Students who leave without a degree at $11,000/year still leave with debt and no credential. For low-income students who can credibly complete, UCM's CS or nursing tracks are among the best per-dollar value plays in Missouri.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $13,408 (48-75k bracket) to $16,931 (75-110k bracket) per year. The slope is gentle, meaning UCM scales costs sensibly with family income. For middle-income families, UCM's net price is roughly half what a comparable private regional university would charge. Over four years, total cost ranges from $54,000 to $68,000, well within the threshold where loan exposure is manageable against typical earnings outcomes - provided the student lands in a higher-earning major (CS, nursing) rather than the school's lower-earning programs.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 pay $18,485 per year, or roughly $74,000 over four years. This is full-freight pricing for an in-state public, but still well below private university benchmarks. For high-income families weighing UCM against a private regional, the price difference of $25,000-40,000/year over four years funds either a graduate degree, a meaningful starter savings cushion, or a significantly reduced loan burden post-graduation. The constraint is major fit: high-income students with strong test scores typically have access to merit-aid options at more selective schools that can match UCM's net cost while delivering stronger outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Central Missouri with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education | $38,807 | D |
| Registered Nursing | $80,542 | B |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,875 | C |
| Computer Science | $90,822 | B+ |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $52,328 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $51,897 | D |
| Research and Experimental Psychology | $47,390 | C |
| Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians | $84,738 | B |
| Marketing | $50,774 | C+ |
| Air Transportation | $38,283 | C |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education is UCM's biggest program (133 graduates) and its weakest earnings story. Year-one earnings of $34,392 against $24,199 in debt produce a 0.704 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). The four-year figure ($38,807) shows minimal earnings growth. This pattern reflects the public school teacher salary structure in Missouri, where starting teacher salaries cluster in the $35,000-$40,000 range and step increases are slow. Students entering this program understand the financial trajectory; the program serves a regional teacher pipeline for Missouri school districts. The career fit and mission alignment are real, but loan-financing the degree without a clear plan for state loan forgiveness programs (PSLF) leaves graduates carrying debt into a profession where compensation does not catch up.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is UCM's strongest earnings track: 109 graduates, $70,840 year-one, $80,542 year-four, with a 0.361 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). The Kansas City metro hospital network (HCA Midwest, Saint Luke's, Children's Mercy) and rural Missouri hospital systems hire heavily from UCM. Nursing is one of the few credentials where regional public universities deliver outcomes statistically indistinguishable from elite private nursing programs, because the licensing exam (NCLEX) and state-regulated wage structures normalize earnings. For students choosing UCM specifically for the nursing pipeline, the value calculation is clear.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice graduates (89 total) earn $37,221 year-one and $52,875 year-four, with a 0.625 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). UCM has long been a regional pipeline for Missouri State Highway Patrol, county sheriff departments, and federal law enforcement positions. Year-four earnings show meaningful growth as graduates move from entry-level corrections officer or patrol roles into investigation, supervisory, or federal positions. Students who can credibly target federal hiring (FBI, DEA, US Marshals) can substantially exceed these medians; students who plateau in county corrections will track closer to year-one earnings throughout their career.
Computer Science
Computer Science (72 graduates) is UCM's clearest high-ROI value play: $67,040 year-one earnings, $90,822 year-four, 0.321 debt-to-earnings ratio (B+ grade), $21,500 median debt. Kansas City has a real tech employer base - Garmin, Cerner (now Oracle), H&R Block's tech division, and a growing fintech presence - that hires from UCM. The earnings outcomes are competitive with much more selective private CS programs once you account for cost basis. For students confident in their CS path, UCM at $14,462/year delivers an outcome that programs costing 4x more can match but rarely beat on a debt-adjusted basis.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology shows 71 graduates with $34,844 year-one, $52,328 year-four, $26,000 debt, and a 0.746 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). The pattern is consistent with kinesiology nationally: a large share of graduates work in personal training, athletic training assistant, or fitness retail roles before either pivoting to graduate programs (physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant) or accepting modest earnings ceilings. Students entering kinesiology with a clear PT/OT/PA grad school plan can credibly recoup the investment; students treating it as a terminal degree face the year-one earnings reality.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.3% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 63.8% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 5,648 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 26.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,188 |
UCM admits 63.8% of applicants with ACT 17-24. SAT bands are not reported. The admission rate signals broad accessibility for Missouri high school graduates, with the lower end of the ACT range (17) indicating that the school serves students with varied academic preparation. Students aspiring to the CS or nursing programs typically enter with stronger ACT scores, but the school does not report internal admissions criteria by major to the Scorecard.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UCM's peer set ranges from ROI 5 (Harris-Stowe State, with a 27.6% completion rate that pulls outcomes far below UCM) to UMass Global at ROI 52. Lincoln University Missouri is the closest in-state institutional comparison at ROI 10 with a 20.9% completion rate - UCM's 54% completion rate is a significant advantage in this peer set. Washburn (ROI 51) has a similar earnings profile ($49,774 ten-year vs UCM's $49,560) and similar payback period (13.6 vs 13.6 years). UMass Global has stronger earnings ($65,703 ten-year) but at higher cost ($32,654 net price). Within its peer set, UCM is among the higher-ROI options for Missouri students, but the absolute ROI score of 48 reflects that the entire peer set sits in the below-average tier nationally.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Missouri (this school) | 48 | $14,462 | $49,560 |
| University of Alaska Fairbanks | 52 | $10,892 | $48,866 |
| University of Massachusetts Global | 52 | $32,654 | $65,703 |
| Washburn University | 51 | $15,280 | $49,774 |
| Lincoln University | 10 | $19,092 | $39,463 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
Who Thrives Here
UCM admits 63.8% of applicants with ACT 17-24 (SAT data not reported). The 26.8% Pell rate is moderate for a Missouri public university. Students who thrive here arrive with one of two paths: a clear declared CS or nursing major where the earnings data is strong, or a teacher education or criminal justice path where the student understands the modest earnings ceiling and is choosing the career for non-financial reasons. Students entering broad liberal arts or kinesiology programs at any regional public university should plan for graduate school or career pivots - the earnings data does not support those pathways alone.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The financial case for University of Central Missouri is mixed. At $14,462 per year net cost, graduates earn a median of $49,560 ten years after entry - a payback period of 13.6 years. That's below the average return for four-year institutions, and prospective students should carefully consider whether the investment aligns with their financial goals.
Areas of concern include concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $21,000 against $49,560 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.