Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsPublic

Missouri Southern State University

Joplin, Missouri·Public, 4-year or above·Plains·mssu.edu
6-yr Graduation
42%
-1.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Total enrollment
4,147
peer median 3,712
Avg net price
$12,007
-$3.5k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
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AdmissionsOutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR OfficeCommon Data Set

Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

IPEDS
Applied
3,194
3,194 candidates competed
Admitted
3,099
97.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
634
20.5% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

IPEDS
Overall completion
42%-1.0pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
4-year graduation
25%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
40%
Full-time retention
63%

Pell equity

18.4pp gap
Pell recipients
33%156 of 468
Non-Pell (all)
51%202 of 393
Subsidized loan, no Pell
39%27 of 69
No Federal Aid
54%175 of 324

Non-Pell students graduate at a 18.4-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

FVT/GE

Of 107 Title IV programs, 21 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 86 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
107
Passing
21
19.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

107programs
  • Passing21 · 19.6%
  • No Data86 · 80.4%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
6
Safe
15
No data
86

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

21
Education General
Bachelor Degree · Education
+19.0%
$39,273 vs $32,989
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+19.5%
$39,419 vs $32,989
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
+22.5%
$40,412 vs $32,989
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+22.5%
$40,402 vs $32,989
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
+24.2%
$40,957 vs $32,989
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+24.3%
$41,008 vs $32,989
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
+26.6%
$41,771 vs $32,989
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Associate Degree · Security And Protective Services
+41.2%
$46,582 vs $32,989

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

15
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Associate Degree · Security And Protective Services
54%
$25,031 debt · $46,582 earn
Sociology
Bachelor Degree · Social Sciences
52%
$21,375 debt · $40,957 earn
Liberal Arts and Sciences General Studies and Humanities
Bachelor Degree · Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
48%
$22,698 debt · $46,892 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
48%
$23,636 debt · $49,114 earn
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
47%
$19,250 debt · $41,008 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
46%
$18,093 debt · $39,419 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Associate Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
42%
$23,500 debt · $56,097 earn
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor Degree · Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
41%
$17,000 debt · $41,771 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1949Next review Aug 2029

Programmatic accreditations · 6

Action history · 18

  1. Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (NUR) - Baccalaureate program
  2. May 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  3. Aug 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation · Dental Hygiene (DH)
  4. Nov 2023Grant Substantive Change: Other
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (NUR) - Baccalaureate program
  5. Sep 2022Accreditation Reaffirmed: Probation Removed
    Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. — May 6, 2013 Formerly: National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission · Nursing (NUR) - Baccalaureate program

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

College Scorecard

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$9,759
$30–48k$10,132
$48–75k$11,233
$75–110k$14,578
$110k+$15,083

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$12,007
-$3,529vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs median $15,537
Federal loans
33.3%
In-state tuition
$8,960
Out-of-state
$17,080

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

Federal Student Aid

In AY 2024–25, 1,642 students received $8.7M in Pell grants, alongside $9.0M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,642
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$8.7M
$8,747,221 total
Direct Loans
$9.0M
2,087 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
’20
2k
’21
2k
’22
2k
’23
2k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$3.6M
1,002 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$3.9M
951 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$1.1M
96 loan awards
Parent PLUS$353K
36 loan awards
Grad PLUS$8K
2 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Cohort Default Rate

Of 1,478 borrowers who entered repayment, 29 (1.9%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
1.9%
-0.4pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,478
Defaulted
29
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
11.4%
2017
11.1%
2018
7.6%
2019
1.9%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Missouri Southern State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs117
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

775 total completions
01Health Professions
16521.3%
02Business
16120.8%
03Education
14218.3%
04Security/Protective
648.3%
05Liberal Arts
628.0%
06Biological Sciences
597.6%
07Computer Sciences
374.8%
08Psychology
354.5%
09Parks/Recreation
324.1%
10Public Admin
182.3%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

IPEDS
Fall total
4,147
12-mo unduplicated
5,090
Undergraduate
4,778
Graduate
312

Gender split

Men
38%1,953
Women
62%3,137

Race / ethnicity composition

White
65.0%
Hispanic
10.1%
Black
7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native
5.1%
Non-resident
5.0%
Asian
3.4%
Unknown
2.6%
Two or more
1.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.5%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

EADA
Athletes
413
259 M · 154 W
Women athletes
37.3%
Athletic aid
$2.8M
Total student aid
Budget
$9.5M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.7M
$1.1M
Recruiting expense
$83K
$39K
Head-coach salaries
$78K
$51K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 8

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
101 M · 112 W
$1.2M
Football
141 M · —
$2.1M
Baseball
40 M · —
$611K
Basketball
16 M · 20 W
$1.3M
Soccer
— · 31 W
$382K
Golf
16 M · 11 W
$618K

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Clery Act
Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.49
2 offenses · 4,090 students

3-year trend

0.462 yrs ago0.721 yr ago0.49Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
7
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
8
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
0

Criminal offenses by type

Aggravated assault
1
Motor vehicle theft
1

By location

2total
  • On campus2

Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
1
Dating violence
0
Stalking
1 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs020
Liquor00

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

IPEDS
Student-to-faculty
15.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
144

Missouri Southern State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Missouri Southern State selected for federal comparison reporting.

IPEDS
GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectMissouri Southern State University
42%—4,147$12,007Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Missouri Western State University
39%—3,716$13,251Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Bemidji State University
46%56.0%4,072$15,261Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Black Hills State University
43%96.3%3,346$15,911Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Northern State University
55%93.0%3,708$15,812Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Eastern Oregon University
43%98.3%2,894$17,148Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Peer group median43%94.7%3,712$15,537

Institutions like Missouri Southern State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Missouri Southern State's comparison group.

IPEDS

Missouri Southern State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Institutional Assessment
Email
info [at] mssu.edu
Phone
(866) 818-6778
Address
3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801

The page for Missouri Southern State University's Institutional Assessment provides information on the university's mission, goals for student learning and retention, and measures of global citizenship, literacy, and well-being. It also mentions specific goals for retention and graduation rates, and provides contact details for further information.

Visit IR office page
Team
2 members
  • Betsy Wood
    Director
  • Alan Hass
    Research Analyst

Common Data Set

Missouri Southern State's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Acceptance rate
97.1%
Accessible
Yield
20.5%
of admitted students enroll
Total enrollment
4,147
3,881 UG · 266 grad
6-yr graduation rate
40%
First-year retention
63%
Student–faculty ratio
15 to 1
Est. net price (aided)
$13,190
after avg need-based grant
01

Selectivity & Admissions

Admissions funnel

C1
Applied
3,194
Admitted
3,100
Enrolled
634

3,194 applied → 3,100 admitted (97.1%) → 634 enrolled.

Selectivity

C1
Acceptance rate
97.1%

Accessible — 97.1% acceptance rate.

Admit rate by gender

C1
men97.6%
women96.7%

Admit rate varies by gender.

SAT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
1160
Median
1340
75th
1440

Middle 50% SAT 1160–1440 (median 1340).

ACT range (middle 50%)

C9
25th
17
Median
20
75th
24

Middle 50% ACT 17–24 (median 20).

High-school class rank

C10
top tenth23%
top quarter44%
top half73%
bottom half27%
bottom quarter7%

Share of enrolled first-years by HS class-rank band.

What matters in admission

C7
Very Important1
Rigor of secondary school record
Important1
Academic GPA
Considered7
Class rankStandardized test scoresTalent/abilityCharacter/personal qualitiesFirst generationState residencyWork experience
Not Considered9
Application EssayRecommendationInterviewExtracurricular activitiesAlumni/ae relationGeographical residenceReligious affiliation/commitmentVolunteer workLevel of applicant's interest

Relative importance of each admission factor.

02

Affordability & Value

Cost of attendance

G
Total$19,925
Tuition
$9,00045%
Fees
$9005%
Room & board
$8,73344%
Books
$1,2926%

Total sticker cost of attendance is $19,925 (2025-2026).

Sticker vs. net price

G+H
Sticker COA
$19,925
Net (aided)
$13,190
Avg need grant
$6,735

Sticker $19,925 → about $13,190 net for aided students after the average need-based grant ($6,735); 36% of demonstrated need is met.

Where grant aid comes from

H1
Total Scholarships/Grants28.8%
Federal22.8%
Institutional17.5%
Total Self-Help10.3%
Student loans from all sources9.9%
State6.0%
Scholarships/grants from external sources2.6%
State and other1.8%
Federal Work-Study0.4%

18% of need-based grant dollars come from the institution itself.

Graduate debt

H4/H5
Grads with debt
56%
Avg debt
$22,376

56% of graduates borrowed; those who did owed $22,376 on average.

03

Outcomes & Equity

Graduation & retention

B
6-yr grad rate
40%
Retention
63%

6-year graduation rate 40%; first-year retention 63%.

Equity: Pell graduation gap

B4
All students40%
Pell recipients30%

Pell-grant recipients graduate 10 pts below the overall rate (30% vs 40%).

04

Academic Experience

Class-size distribution

I3
2-9 students88
10-19 students170
20-29 students171
30-39 students52
40-49 students6
50-99 students2

53% of classes have under 20 students; 0% have 50+.

Faculty profile

I
Student–faculty ratio
15 to 1
Faculty with terminal degree
72%
Women faculty
53%

Key faculty indicators.

05

Student Body & Diversity

Undergraduate race/ethnicity

B2
White, non-Hispanic64.2%
Hispanic/Latino9.8%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic6.0%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown5.5%
Nonresidents4.6%
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic4.4%
Asian, non-Hispanic3.4%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic1.7%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic0.4%

Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity.

International students

B2
International UG
179
Share
5%

5% of undergraduates are international (nonresident).

Undergrad vs graduate

B1
Undergraduate
3,88194%
Graduate
2666%

3,881 undergraduates and 266 graduate students.

06

Transfer Path

Transfer admissions

D1
Applied
618
Admitted
581
Enrolled
331

618 transfer applicants → 581 admitted (94.0%) → 331 enrolled — more selective than first-year admission.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about Missouri Southern State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Missouri Southern State.

What is the graduation rate at Missouri Southern State University?

Missouri Southern State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 42% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Missouri Southern State University?

Missouri Southern State University reports a total enrollment of 4,147 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Missouri Southern State University?

The average net price at Missouri Southern State University is $12,007 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Missouri Southern State University?

Missouri Southern State University's yield rate is 20.5%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Missouri Southern State University located?

Missouri Southern State University is located in Joplin, Missouri 64801-1595.

Who runs Institutional Research at Missouri Southern State University?

Missouri Southern State University's IR work is done by the Institutional Assessment.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
U.S. Department of Education
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
U.S. Department of Education
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education
Last reviewed July 2026All data sources & release dates →

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