College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Missouri

21 Colleges in Missouri
1,528 Associate Degrees
$63,290 Avg Early-Career Salary
Ranked #2 in popularity, nursing is one of the most sought-after associate degree programs in the nation. This makes choosing the right school a hard decision.

College Factual looked at 21 colleges and universities when compiling its 2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Missouri ranking. When you put them all together, these colleges and universities awarded 1,528 associate degrees in nursing during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Missouri The nursing associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. When choosing a school we recommend considering some of the following factors:

Quality Overall Is Important

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a good education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Average Earnings

One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of associate graduates during the early years of their career. This is because one of the main reasons people pursue their associate degree is to enable themselves to find better-paying positions.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in Missouri ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in Missouri

The following list ranks the best colleges and universities for pursuing an associate degree in nursing.

10 Top Missouri Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1
Cox College crest
Cox College
Springfield, MO

Cox College is one of the best schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. Located in the city of Springfield, Cox College is a private not-for-profit college with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career wages of $58,667.

More information about a associate in nursing from Cox College

2

It's hard to beat Saint Louis Community College if you want to pursue an associate degree in nursing. Saint Louis Community College is a large public college located in the suburb of Bridgeton.

Associate recipients from the nursing major at Saint Louis Community College get $4,972 more than the typical college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Saint Louis Community College

3
Columbia College Missouri crest
Columbia College
Columbia, MO

Columbia College is one of the best schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Columbia College Missouri is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit college located in the medium-sized city of Columbia.

Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Columbia College make $2,478 more than the standard college graduate with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Columbia College

4

Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City is one of the finest schools in the country for getting an associate degree in nursing. Located in the large city of Kansas City, MCC is a public college with a large student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $63,534 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a associate in nursing from Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City

5
106 Annual Graduates
$59,620 Median Starting Salary
$10,953 Median Student Debt

Southwest Baptist University is a small private not-for-profit university located in the distant town of Bolivar.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $59,620 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Southwest Baptist University

6

Located in the remote town of Trenton, NCMC is a public college with a small student population.

Those nursing students who get their associate degree from North Central Missouri College earn $3,214 more than the average nursing grad.

More information about a associate in nursing from North Central Missouri College

7
Crowder College crest
Crowder College
Neosho, MO

Located in the town of Neosho, Crowder College is a public college with a small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program state that they receive average early career income of $62,875.

More information about a associate in nursing from Crowder College

8
19 Annual Graduates

Located in the rural area of Linn, STC is a public college with a small student population.More information about a associate in nursing from State Technical College of Missouri

9
Three Rivers College crest
Three Rivers College
Poplar Bluff, MO

Located in the town of Poplar Bluff, Three Rivers College is a public college with a small student population.

Nursing associate degree recipients from Three Rivers College get an earnings boost of approximately $2,593 over the typical income of nursing majors.

More information about a associate in nursing from Three Rivers College

10

Located in the town of Hannibal, HLGU is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly small student population.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career earnings of $63,863.

More information about a associate in nursing from Hannibal - LaGrange University

Best Nursing Colleges in the Plains States Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Plains States Area or other specific states within that region.

State Colleges Degrees Awarded
Minnesota 151 2,167
Kansas 146 868
Iowa 116 1,152
Nebraska 98 265
South Dakota 93 114
North Dakota 92 287

View All Rankings >

One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Nursing Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Registered Nursing 1,479
Nursing Practice 49

Related Major Annual Graduates
Allied Health Professions 439
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services 277
Dental Support Services 175
Health & Medical Administrative Services 142
Health/Medical Prep Programs 92
Health Sciences & Services 79
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science 41
Other Health Professions 33
Public Health 24
Mental & Social Health Services 6

Notes and References

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options