College tuition fees rose 3.7% in St. Louis city in the 2022-23 school year, according to the latest disclosure from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Data shows that students paid $42,042 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $1,485 more than the previous school year.
Among the seven institutions providing full disclosure in the county, Saint Louis University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $50,644. The University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis followed with an average of $31,280 per year. Harris-Stowe State University students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $7,756.
At the time, at least $72.3 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started at the St. Louis city universities in the 2022-23 school year. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $10.3 million.
Currently there are eight higher education institutions in St. Louis city, including Ranken Technical College, University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, and St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the eight institutions in St. Louis city, Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Number of Students Receiving Grants | Total Amount of Grants Received | Average Amount of Grant Per Student | Number of Students Receiving Loans | Total Amount of Loans Received | Average Amount of Loans Per Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 229 | $2,593,713 | $11,326 | 153 | $901,012 | $5,889 |
| St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis | 39 | $166,289 | $4,264 | 30 | $193,434 | $6,448 |
| Saint Louis University | 1,643 | $63,252,281 | $38,498 | 827 | $6,409,433 | $7,750 |
| Ranken Technical College | 348 | $4,180,982 | $12,014 | 315 | $1,917,645 | $6,088 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-St Louis | 19 | $101,174 | $5,325 | 22 | $175,916 | $7,996 |
| University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis | 98 | $1,978,609 | $20,190 | 70 | $740,843 | $10,583 |
| Stevens-The Institute of Business & Arts | 0 | $0 | $0 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
