Public Bachelor's Good 67/100

Harris-Stowe State University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Saint Louis, Missouri

About Harris-Stowe State University

Thinking about Harris-Stowe State University, a college in Missouri where more students graduate in Biology than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Harris-Stowe State University is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Saint Louis, Missouri. It enrolls 960 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
19.8%
Net Price
$9,922
Median Earnings (10yr)
$31,088
Enrollment
960
Student : Faculty
14:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
67/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 44
Value 48
Affordability 78
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Harris-Stowe State University does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $9,922 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$9,922
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
74%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
61%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$7,008
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$11,640
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,728
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,370
Books & Supplies
$800
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$8,308
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,308
Total Cost of Attendance
$21,493

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $9,827
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $10,963
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $9,814
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $8,563
  • Over $110,000
    $6,238

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,750
10% percentile
$5,320
25% percentile
$25,930
Median percentile
$25,325
75% percentile
$38,370
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $14,000 ↓ $11,930
No Pell $9,496 ↓ $16,434
Dependent students $12,100 ↓ $13,830
Independent students $16,200 ↓ $9,730
Female students $13,900 ↓ $12,030
Male students $12,000 ↓ $13,930
Pell recipients: 18.0% (4,672 students)No Pell: 12.2% (3,169 students)Dependent students: 15.6% (4,038 students)Independent students: 20.9% (5,407 students)Female students: 17.9% (4,639 students)Male students: 15.4% (4,005 students)Overall Median$25,930
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $10,159, less than completers ($25,930), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

20% of students who start here finish within six years, and 68% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
20%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
68%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $31,088 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$31,088
Earning > $25K
52%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$26,000$27,000$29,000$30,000$32,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$28,000

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$36,600

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $8,600, about 23% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 13.5 pts across 6 years
39.9%1yr50.7%3yr42.6%5yr53.4%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 53% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 960 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
960
Part-Time
13%
First-Generation
47%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 81.6% 783
International 6.4% 61
Other 3.8% 36
White 3.0% 29
Hispanic 2.5% 24
Asian 0.2% 2
Black: 81.6% (783 students)International: 6.4% (61 students)Other: 3.8% (36 students)White: 3.0% (29 students)Hispanic: 2.5% (24 students)Asian: 0.2% (2 students)Total960

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Harris-Stowe State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Large City Saint Louis, Missouri
Housing
Mostly residential 426 beds on campus
Adult Learners
15% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Business graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Harris-Stowe State University offers a varied set of programs: 16 distinct programs across 11 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

1 Program
3 Programs
1 Program
1 Program
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,776
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$3.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$47,979
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

43 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 3 7% $61,664
Associate Professors 13 30% $54,440
Assistant Professors 18 42% $44,759
Instructors 9 21% $40,525

Pros & Cons of Harris-Stowe State University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Harris-Stowe State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution
Best for: Based on the data, Harris-Stowe State University is a fit for families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Harris-Stowe State University

The questions families ask most about Harris-Stowe State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Harris-Stowe State University cost?
Budget around $9,922 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Harris-Stowe State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $31,088 a year against a net price of $9,922, about 3.1 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Harris-Stowe State University known for?
Mostly Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Harris-Stowe State University graduates earn?
About $31,088 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Harris-Stowe State University accredited?
Yes. Harris-Stowe State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Harris-Stowe State University?
960 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Harris-Stowe State University?
20% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Harris-Stowe State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Harris-Stowe State University located?
Harris-Stowe State University is located in Saint Louis, Missouri.
What programs does Harris-Stowe State University offer?
16 different programs, most commonly Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Harris-Stowe State University?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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