Best Photography Schools Near Columbia, MO (2026)

Updated August 25, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbia, Missouri has 2 accredited schools offering photography programs, with tuition ranging from $10,050 to $22,947 per year for indexed programs. Columbia has a population of about 127,200. Median household income is $64,488 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 56.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbia, MO metro area, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $49,490 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Photography Schools to Columbia

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer photography programs near Columbia, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbia city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbia. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

University of Central Missouri

Warrensburg, MO 77.2 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
54.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 64%
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,560
Avg net price $14,462/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,050
Out‑of‑state$18,600
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO 99.0 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,278
Avg net price $19,638/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Maryville University of Saint Louis

Saint Louis, MO 100.3 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,105
Avg net price $22,066/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Webster University

Saint Louis, MO 109.6 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
42.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,876
Avg net price $27,047/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Washington University in St Louis

St. Louis, MO 110.9 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
85.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $86,182
Avg net price $21,786/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 23

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Kansas City Art Institute

Kansas City, MO 121.4 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
30.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,032
Avg net price $27,650/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, MO 172.1 miles from Columbia
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
42.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,620
Avg net price $12,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Crowder College

Neosho, MO 184.7 miles from Columbia
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
52.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,987
Avg net price $9,023/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Missouri schools on the Missouri photography page.

Photography Wages Near Columbia

Columbia is part of the Columbia, MO metro area (BLS area code 17860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Missouri statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Photographer$39,170MO statewide$43,814
Graphic Designer$49,490Columbia, MO$55,358

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbia at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population127,200Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$64,488Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+56.5%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)89.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbia-Area Cities With Photography Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Columbia, MO?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering photography programs near Columbia. The closest is University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO (77.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Lindenwood University (99.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles near Columbia?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles near Columbia are: Graphic Designer ($49,490), Photographer ($39,170). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Missouri statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Jefferson City instead of Columbia?

Jefferson City, MO is 27.5 miles from Columbia and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbia an affordable place to study photography?

Columbia’s median household income of $64,488 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbia while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Missouri public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbia

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbia:

Data verified: August 25, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Photography Schools in Missouri: Online Programs (2026)