Lending data
Who actually lends to schools and training businesses in Missouri?
46 SBA 7(a) loans went to schools and training businesses in Missouri recently, at a median of $150,000. Here are the lenders that made them, ranked.
46 SBA 7(a) loans went to schools and training businesses in Missouri in the most recent fiscal years. The median was $150,000 over 10 years. The most active lender was Commerce Bank, with 5 loans.
What lending to schools and training businesses in Missouri actually looks like
Every figure on this page is computed from SBA 7(a) loan-level FOIA data released 2026-06-30. It reflects loans that were actually approved, not rate cards or advertised ranges.
| Measure | Educational services, Missouri | All 7(a) borrowers |
|---|---|---|
| Loans approved | 46 | 214,102 |
| Median loan | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| 25th - 75th percentile | $57,500 - $438,750 | $50,000 - $500,000 |
| Median term | 10 years | 10 years |
| Median initial rate | 10.12% | 10.25% |
| Share to startups | 54.3% | 33.6% |
| Charge-off rate, FY2010-19 cohort | 10.9% | 7.1% |
Which lenders actually funded them
Ranked by loans approved to schools and training businesses in Missouri. This is the list worth working from, because a lender that has funded dozens of businesses like yours in your state has seen your file before.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commerce Bank | 5 | $350,000 | 80% | 7.63% |
| The Huntington National Bank | 4 | $137,500 | 100% | 9.62% |
| The Central Trust Bank | 3 | $25,600 | 67% | 12.00% |
| First Mid Bank & Trust | 3 | $927,000 | 100% | 8.75% |
| Emprise Bank | 3 | $222,500 | 0% | 8.05% |
| Bank of Springfield | 2 | $509,600 | 100% | 7.88% |
| Readycap Lending, LLC | 2 | $117,000 | 50% | 12.25% |
| U.S. Bank | 2 | $15,000 | 0% | 10.37% |
| CenTrust Bank | 2 | $100,000 | 0% | 12.12% |
| Newtek Bank | 2 | $261,250 | 50% | 11.50% |
What stands out in this market
Reading the figures above against the national picture:
- Loan sizes are typical. The median of $150,000 is within a few percent of the $150,000 national median across all 7(a) borrowers, so nothing about this market is unusual on size.
- New businesses do well here. 54% of these loans went to startups or businesses under two years old, against 34% nationally — an unusually open market if you have no trading history.
- No single lender dominates, but the top three made 26% of these loans, so the shortlist below covers most of the active market.
- Lenders have been burned here before. 10.9% of loans to this market from the FY2010-2019 cohorts were charged off, against 7.1% overall. That history is why underwriting in this sector is tighter than the numbers alone would suggest — it is not personal.
Which of them lend to new businesses
Of those loans, 54.3% went to businesses the SBA classes as startups — new, under two years old, or opening with the proceeds. These are the lenders in this market that actually wrote them.
| Lender | Loans | Median loan | Startup share | Median rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Huntington National Bank | 4 | $137,500 | 100% | 9.62% |
| Commerce Bank | 4 | $350,000 | 80% | 7.63% |
| First Mid Bank & Trust | 3 | $927,000 | 100% | 8.75% |
| Bank of Springfield | 2 | $509,600 | 100% | 7.88% |
| The Central Trust Bank | 2 | $25,600 | 67% | 12.00% |
How to use this
- Shortlist three lenders from the table whose median loan is close to what you need.
- Ask each whether they are a Preferred Lender and how many 7(a) loans they closed last year. See choosing an SBA lender.
- Check your coverage first with the affordability calculator so you ask for a number the cash flow supports.
- Assemble the package before you call. The document checklist is the single biggest thing you control.
Compare other markets
- Other sectors in Missouri: construction, restaurants and hotels, personal services, retail, healthcare, professional services
- Education in comparable states: Nevada, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Oregon, Idaho, Connecticut