Admit rate has ranged 56%–92% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Stephens College, a small women's college in Columbia, Missouri, thrives as a niche powerhouse for the arts, sciences, and health professions. With an acceptance rate hovering around 77-92%, it's accessible yet intimate, offering pet-friendly dorms and a 96% female undergraduate population. Its standout programs in acting, animal behavior, and design attract students seeking a tight-knit, career-focused education—though its 47% graduation rate signals challenges for some.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
391
In-state tuition
$28,300
Out-of-state tuition
$28,300
Housing
Pet-friendly options available
Location
Columbia, MO
Acceptance Rate
77-92% (varies by source)
Graduation Rate
47% overall
Notable Programs
Acting, Animal Behavior, Communication Design
Gender Distribution
96% female, 4% male
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$43,071
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.8×
Median debt at graduation
$27,000
Graduation rate
43%
First-year retention
78%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
60%
Pell (lower-income) share
65%
First-generation share
31%
Endowment / student
$148,844
Financial health
2.2 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Health and Medical Administrative Services$54,035
Marketing$33,993
Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations$27,947
Design and Applied Arts$26,933
Agricultural and Domestic Animal Services$24,035
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
Per 1,000 students
0.00
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
79
Summer high
87°F
Winter low
26°F
Annual rain
44.4"
Annual snow
20.3"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
96
Scholarly works
1,443
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
0.7%
Bottom → top quintile
9%
From bottom quintile
8%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Stephens College?
Stephens College's acceptance rate is approximately 77% (Columbia, MO), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Stephens College cost?
At Stephens College, the average net price (after aid) is about $23,459 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Stephens College?
Stephens College enrolls approximately 391 undergraduate students.
Where is Stephens College located?
Stephens College is located in Columbia, MO.
Admissions
Stephens College is moderately selective, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. ranging from 56.95% to 92% across sources—a disparity likely reflecting varying applicant pools or reporting methods. Of 1,043 applicants in one cycle, 804 were admitted, with 392 enrolling. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 530-640 on SAT Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and 18-25 on the ACT. Notably, the college doesn't require TOEFL as an SAT/ACT alternative. While PrepScholar calls it 'nearly open admissions,' U.S. News and CollegeData peg selectivity as 'moderately difficult.'
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$21,052
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Academics
Stephens offers nearly 50 programs across bachelor’s, master’s, and certificates, with a focus on hands-on, career-ready education. Standouts include:
Acting for Stage & Screen: A conservatory-style program with industry connections
Animal Behavior: Combines biology and psychology with fieldwork opportunities
Communication Design: Merges graphic design, UX, and digital media
Other notable majors span business administration, biology, and art history. Small class sizes dominate, fostering close faculty mentorship. The college emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, with recent initiatives expanding health sciences and humanities offerings.
Life at Stephens revolves around its 96% female undergraduate population (fall 2023) and pet-friendly campus culture. Key features:
Housing: Suite-style rooms and upperclass apartments with free Wi-Fi and laundry; some halls allow pets.
Community: The student union serves as a hub for socializing, with Niche reviews praising the 'vibrant, supportive' atmosphere.
Activities: Leadership programs and student organizations thrive, though Greek life is absent.
With just 354 undergraduates, the campus feels more like a close-knit cohort than an anonymous institution. Columbia’s arts scene—including the True/False Film Fest—provides off-campus enrichment.
Stephens faces retention challenges, with a 47% overall graduation rate (placing it in the bottom 30% nationally). Disparities exist:
Pell Grant recipients: 43% graduate within 6 years
Non-Pell recipients: 55% graduation rate
While the College Scorecard doesn’t publish median earnings, the college emphasizes career preparedness through internships and alumni networks, particularly in the arts and sciences. The low graduation rate may reflect its mission to serve diverse learners, including those balancing work/family commitments.
Stephens’ sticker price is $48,088 annually, but Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculators suggest significant aid offsets costs for many. Key details:
Financial aid: Includes grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study. The college encourages FAFSA submission to unlock need-based packages.
Estimates: The 2026-2027 net price calculator projects individualized costs after aid, though exact averages aren’t publicly disclosed.
While not a bargain institution, Stephens positions itself as a value for students seeking specialized programs in a supportive, women-centered environment.
Stephens carves a singular niche as a women’s college with a creative, career-forward ethos. Unlike larger liberal arts schools, it excels in:
Arts immersion: From acting to design, programs blend theory with studio and stage time.
Unconventional majors: Animal behavior and niche humanities tracks attract students seeking alternatives to generic curricula.
Inclusivity: Pet-friendly policies and flexible support systems cater to non-traditional learners.
Its low graduation rate signals real challenges, but for students who thrive in intimate, arts-and-sciences-focused environments, Stephens offers a rare blend of tradition and practicality.
Stephens College logo · sourceStephens College - Profile, Rankings and Data | US News Best Colleges · sourceStephens College - Columbia, MO | Appily · sourceCampus Map - Stephens College · source
