Stephens College

Private · Moderately Selective · MO

Photo: Grey Wanderer (CC BY-SA 3.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationMO · Midwest

SettingUrban

Undergrads391

Student:faculty8:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate17.9%

6-yr grad rate42.7%

Drop-out rate21.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$28k

Out-of-state tuition$28k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity50.6%

Gender diversity96.2%

International0.5%

Identity—

Overview

Stephens College, in Columbia, Missouri, is one of the oldest colleges for women in the country, with a creative and performing-arts identity built around fashion design, theatre, and equestrian studies. It now enrolls men in select graduate and professional programs, but the undergraduate culture remains distinctly women-centered. The college has long positioned itself as a place where creative training and professional preparation happen together rather than in separate tracks.

Academics

Fashion design and fashion marketing are the college's best-known strength, supported by a notable costume and textile collection used directly in coursework. Theatre and dance benefit from close-knit, performance-heavy training, and the equestrian program is unusually developed for a college this size, with its own facilities and competitive riding teams. Programs across the college favor small, studio- and lab-based instruction over large lectures.

Campus & student life

The campus sits in Columbia, a college town also home to the University of Missouri, giving Stephens students access to a larger city's amenities while keeping their own campus small and tight-knit. Student life is built around the college's historically women-focused culture, with strong traditions in the arts and riding, and the equestrian center and performance venues serve as focal points outside the classroom.

Getting in

Stephens looks for applicants with a demonstrated creative portfolio or performance background for its arts and equestrian programs, alongside standard academic review, and auditions or portfolio review factor into admission for fields like theatre and fashion design.

After graduation

Alumni networks run strong in fashion, theatre, and equestrian circles, with graduates working across design houses, costume departments, and competitive riding; the college's alumnae network is frequently cited as a resource for students building creative careers.

Worth knowing

The equestrian program and the costume collection are genuine distinguishing features rather than marketing points, and students serious about fashion or riding should know both are integrated directly into coursework, not offered as extracurriculars.

stephens.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate77.2%

Enrolled mid-50%1110

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying