missouri – Journey To College – Realize your potential.

7 Reasons You Should Live, Learn, and Work in Missouri

Posted on December 15, 2021December 17, 2021

1. Companies are hiring

Three companies on Forbes 100 Best Places to Work list – Veterans United, Jones Financial (Edward Jones), and World Wide Technology – are headquartered here in Missouri. Each company employs large numbers of people and reported hundreds of job openings company wide as of March of 2021. Jones Financial reported 910 job openings, Veterans United Home Loans reported 558 openings, and World Wide Technology reported 268 job openings.

According to an October 2021 report from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC), there were around 67,700 job postings in Missouri with companies hoping to hire people. If you’re looking for a new job or career change, Missouri is a good place to start.

2. Great for remote work

Missouri is centrally located in the country, making working with both the east and west coasts convenient for remote workers or just those who need to be centrally located for travel. Additionally, high speed internet and better broadband access in rural areas has been made a priority by Gov. Mike Parson. In 2021, $400 million was budgeted to help with broadband access.

3. Affordability

Missouri allows you to live in one of the most affordable states in the U.S. Missouri ranks the 12th lowest in the U.S. for cost of living (MERIC) and the 12th cheapest state to buy a house (learn.roofstock.com). To do a little comparison, let’s look at the cost of buying a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline. According to AAA, in Missouri, as of December 2021, the average cost of a gallon of gas is $2.95 while the cost in Illinois, Missouri’s neighbor, is $3.44.

4. Fun and romance

Missouri is the 10th best place to be single. We rank 12th for dating opportunities, 12th for dating economics, and 16th for romance and fun, according to wallethub.com.

If you live and work in Missouri, there are plenty of opportunities for romance as well as places to take your romantic partner on a date. Check out 8 Places to go on a Date Night in Missouri or just go to Visit MO’s Things to Do page.

5. A Land of Opportunity

Missouri ranks No.4 in the nation in opportunity for its citizens, according to USnews.com. Missouri is a great place to start or own a business, boasting a rank of 11 in the country. Missouri’s businesses weathered the pandemic better than most and the state was ranked third in the nation for pandemic proof small businesses.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of Missouri’s business-friendly atmosphere, the Missouri Secretary of State’s Office has step-by-step instructions for starting a business in Missouri.

6. Striving for Equity

Missouri ranks No.9 in the nation for equality. According to USnews.com, “the ratio of men to women in the labor force, as well as gaps between their median incomes, as well as the difference in unemployment between people with disabilities and those without, and gaps in educational achievement, income and employment between non-Hispanic whites and other racial groups” are measured to determine this. Missouri ranked 6th in the nation for equity in the income gap by race on this same list.

7. Family Friendly

Missouri is a great place to raise a family. Wallet Hub says Missouri comes in third in the nation for low cost child care, surpassed only by Mississippi and South Dakota. All 10 of Niche.com’s top 10 places to raise a family in Missouri are suburbs of St. Louis, with highly rated school systems, bright job prospects, and lower costs of living. However, St. Louis isn’t the only great place to raise a family and if you prefer the country or small-town life, there’s plenty of that too.

This information is accurate as of December 16, 2021.

Find your Best Fit in Missouri

Posted on December 15, 2021December 17, 2021

Missouri is home to over 65 colleges and universities that each offer their own unique culture and opportunities. So whether you’re looking for a change of scenery or to stay close to home, there are plenty of options to choose from. Degree program, size, location, distance from home, sports, culture, and student resources are all important things to consider while trying to find the best fit. We’ve highlighted several of these characteristics for you to consider below and a corresponding Missouri school to consider.

Big City vs. Small Town

Do you want to be in the heart of it all or in a small community with a lot of heart?

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) is nestled just south of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City – a well-known area for shopping, events, and art. Kansas City is packed with unique and vibrant neighborhoods and offers pro-sporting events, live concerts, and some of the best BBQ in the country. But if you’re looking to slow it down, consider Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) in Cape Girardeau. This small, historical river community is known for being friendly and having a great downtown area of its own. You can see a show at the annual Lanford Wilson New American Play Festival, or explore the Mississippi River at Cape Rock Park. Also, with St. Louis and Memphis being nearby, there’s always the opportunity to change it up, visit the big city, but come home to a small town.

Big School vs. Small School

Do you want to get to know all of your peers or do you want to see new faces every day?

Going to a school with a large student population versus a small student population can make a big difference. Missouri State University is one of the state’s largest schools with over 26,000 students. If you’re looking for a fresh start and to make a lot of new friends – this could be the school for you. A larger student population can also offer many benefits including more activities and organizations, more networking and potentially more diversity. However, if you’d rather spend the next several years making lifelong connections, a smaller school like College of the Ozarks is a great option. With a population of under 1,500 – you can expect small class sizes and a tight-knit community.

Two-Year vs. Four-Year vs. Technical School

What degree are you looking for? How much time and money are you prepared to invest?

The type of school you attend can make a big difference in your college experience, especially in the classroom and in your bank account. Two-year institutions offer certificates and associate degrees, and many students choose these schools to save money in the long run. State Fair Community College in Sedalia is a great example because it offers a wide range of two-year programs while also being one of the most affordable in Missouri. A four-year university offers bachelor’s degrees, which provide both a well-rounded education outside your major and an in-depth coursework in your chosen field. Truman State University in Kirksville is a great option because it offers a variety of excellent programs and top professors while being the number one best value school in the region. Technical schools can be a different experience altogether, offering certificates and associate degrees while giving students affordable hands-on learning and career guidance. State Technical College of Missouri in Linn offers small class sizes, unique career options, and a job placement rate of 99 percent.

There’s plenty to consider when deciding what will fit you best after high school. Missouri offers a lot of options. If you are considering multiple options and you’d like to compare them side-by-side, use the printable Best Fit Worksheet or the College and Degree Search compare option. No matter what you decide, you’ll make it the best fit for you.

What makes Missouri a Great Place for new Grads

Posted on December 15, 2021December 17, 2021

If you have just graduated college or are about to graduate college, you have probably spent a lot of time thinking about your next move.

Maybe you want to stay and work in your college town. Maybe you want to go back and work where you grew up. Maybe you’re looking for something new – a change of scenery, a clean slate.

Whether you’re looking for a big city, a smaller town, or anything in between, the state of Missouri has a lot to offer new grads.

Midwest Momentum

For many college grads, the cost of living in America’s coastal cities is too high. Even a high paying entry-level position will only land you a small apartment with multiple roommates in places like San Francisco, Boston, and Washington D.C. However, that’s not the case in the Midwest.

Every year, Porch, a paid service for current and aspiring homeowners, ranks the best cities for recent college graduates to live. The ranking factors in affordability, job market, and recreational activities available in a given city.

In 2021, according to Porch, seven of the ten best cities for new college grads are in the Midwest. All ten cities are in landlocked states.

St. Louis

The state of Missouri fared well in Porch’s rankings. St. Louis scored the second-highest score among large metros to move to after college. This high ranking can be mostly attributed to St Louis’ low cost of living, which is about 10 percent less than the average large-size U.S. metro. And with large employers such as Ascension Health Alliance, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Emerson Electric, the unemployment rate for recent graduates in St. Louis is 1.8 percent.

Kansas City

The city on the west side of the state also ranks high among large metros for recent grads. Porch lists Kansas City at No.8.

Recent grads, especially those from Missouri’s colleges and universities, have been flocking to Kansas City for years – more so than St. Louis even.

With a championship NFL team in the Chiefs, an elite concert venue in the T-Mobile Center, awesome shopping at the Plaza, and a great late-night scene at Westport– on top of a strong job market and relatively low cost of living — Kansas City is a preferred destination for young people just starting their careers.

Smaller Cities

If you’re looking for something a little smaller, less crowded, more cost effective, Missouri has some great small and midsize cities. Porch ranked Jefferson City the No.1 small metro for recent college graduates because of its low cost of living and strong job market. There are large companies headquartered in the state’s smaller cities, such as Bass Pro Shop and O’Reilly Auto Parts which are both headquartered in Springfield. St. Joseph’s cost of living is lower than the Missouri average, yet you’d still be only a one-hour drive away from Kansas City. Exploring Missouri’s small and mid-sized city options can offer the recent college graduate plenty of opportunity to choose from.