Masters Colleges & Universities: Small ProgramsPublic

Missouri Western State University

Saint Joseph, Missouri·Public, 4-year or above·Plains·missouriwestern.edu
6-yr Graduation
39%
-2.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Total enrollment
3,716
peer median 3,712
Avg net price
$13,251
-$1.0k vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Use this data
Ask Clema
OutcomesProgram outcomesAccreditationCostFederal aidLoan defaultsAcademic programsEnrollment trendsAthleticsCampus safetyFacultyPeersIR Office

Graduation rate & outcomes

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

IPEDS
Overall completion
39%-2.5pp vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
4-year graduation
23%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
39%
Full-time retention
54%

Pell equity

13.2pp gap
Pell recipients
32%164 of 508
Non-Pell (all)
45%216 of 478
Subsidized loan, no Pell
37%40 of 109
No Federal Aid
48%176 of 369

Non-Pell students graduate at a 13.2-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 71 Title IV programs, 21 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 50 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
71
Passing
21
29.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

71programs
  • Passing21 · 29.6%
  • No Data50 · 70.4%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
2
Safe
19
No data
50

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
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
+18.7%
$39,163 vs $32,989
History
Bachelor Degree · History
+23.4%
$40,716 vs $32,989
Design and Applied Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+26.5%
$41,728 vs $32,989
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+37.2%
$45,251 vs $32,989
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+40.0%
$46,187 vs $32,989
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
Bachelor Degree · Natural Resources And Conservation
+40.5%
$46,342 vs $32,989
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
+40.7%
$46,402 vs $32,989
Parks Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+43.0%
$47,177 vs $32,989

Debt vs earnings

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

14
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
64%
$29,429 debt · $46,187 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Bachelor Degree · Education
59%
$22,922 debt · $39,163 earn
Parks Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
51%
$24,187 debt · $47,177 earn
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
48%
$21,500 debt · $45,251 earn
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
43%
$20,000 debt · $46,402 earn
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Bachelor Degree · Security And Protective Services
41%
$21,652 debt · $52,709 earn
Accounting and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
40%
$24,250 debt · $60,025 earn
Biology General
Bachelor Degree · Biological And Biomedical Sciences
40%
$21,328 debt · $53,505 earn

Accreditation status & history

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

DAPIP
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1923Next review Aug 2027
AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Higher Learning Commission

Accredited since 1919

Programmatic accreditations · 6

Action history · 8

  1. Oct 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education · Physical Therapy (PTA) - Programs for the physical therapist assistant
  2. Oct 2023Initial Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  3. Oct 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  4. Oct 2018Renewal of Accreditation
    Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education · Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  5. Jan 2017Renewal of Accreditation
    Higher Learning Commission

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$11,243
$30–48k$11,674
$48–75k$13,965
$75–110k$16,119
$110k+$17,764

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

Avg net price
$13,251
-$1,005vs Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs median $14,256
Federal loans
27.9%
In-state tuition
$10,306
Out-of-state
$20,866

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, 1,138 students received $6.3M in Pell grants, alongside $8.4M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
1,138
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$6.3M
$6,307,772 total
Direct Loans
$8.4M
1,769 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

2k
’20
1k
’21
1k
’22
1k
’23
1k
’24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$2.8M
770 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$3.1M
786 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$1.4M
99 loan awards
Parent PLUS$973K
106 loan awards
Grad PLUS$64K
8 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 1,150 borrowers who entered repayment, 9 (0.7%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
0.7%
-1.6pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
1,150
Defaulted
9
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
13.3%
2017
11.1%
2018
7.1%
2019
0.7%
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 Western State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

IPEDS
Distinct CIP programs76
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

456 total completions
01Business
11224.6%
02Health Professions
9320.4%
03Education
6614.5%
04Parks/Recreation
429.2%
05Psychology
306.6%
06Multi/Interdisciplinary
296.4%
07Public Admin
255.5%
08Security/Protective
235.0%
09Biological Sciences
194.2%
10Visual/Performing Arts
173.7%

Enrollment trends & demographics

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

IPEDS
Fall total
3,716
12-mo unduplicated
4,237
Undergraduate
3,954
Graduate
283

Gender split

Men
38%1,629
Women
62%2,608

Race / ethnicity composition

White
65.7%
Black
14.0%
Two or more
9.2%
Unknown
5.8%
Asian
1.5%
Hispanic
1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native
1.3%
Non-resident
1.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

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

EADA
Athletes
375
221 M · 154 W
Women athletes
41.1%
Athletic aid
$3.3M
Total student aid
Budget
$10.0M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$1.8M
$1.5M
Recruiting expense
$57K
$36K
Head-coach salaries
$77K
$58K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 10

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
67 M · 66 W
$662K
Football
125 M · —
$2.6M
Baseball
45 M · —
$521K
Soccer
— · 31 W
$500K
Basketball
15 M · 13 W
$1.6M
Softball
— · 26 W
$507K

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
1.05
4 offenses · 3,817 students

3-year trend

3.412 yrs ago1.741 yr ago1.05Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
26
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
34
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
2

Criminal offenses by type

Rape
2
Fondling
2

By location

4total
  • On campus3
  • Public property1

Includes 2 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

6
Domestic violence
3
Dating violence
9
Stalking
18 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs026
Liquor19

Residence-hall fires

  • Scanlon Hall1 fire
    CookingDamage $1,000-$9,999

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)
137

Missouri Western State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Missouri Western 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 Western State University
39%—3,716$13,251Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Missouri Southern State University
40%97.0%4,147$12,007Masters 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
West Virginia State University
39%96.0%3,246$11,139Masters Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Peer group median42%96.0%3,712$14,256

Institutions like Missouri Western State

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

IPEDS

Missouri Western State Institutional Research office

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

Office
Institutional Research
Email
ir [at] missouriwestern.edu
Phone
816-271-4276
Address
Popplewell Hall 119B

Institutional research transforms university data into knowledge. We serve the University’s mission by analyzing institutional data essential for strategic planning, decision making and policy development.

Visit IR office page
Team
1 member
  • Nicole Perkins
    Director of Institutional Research

Frequently asked questions about Missouri Western State University

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

What is the graduation rate at Missouri Western State University?

Missouri Western State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 39% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Missouri Western State University?

Missouri Western State University reports a total enrollment of 3,716 students per the latest IPEDS.

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

The average net price at Missouri Western State University is $13,251 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

Where is Missouri Western State University located?

Missouri Western State University is located in Saint Joseph, Missouri 64507.

Who runs Institutional Research at Missouri Western State University?

Missouri Western State University's IR work is done by the Institutional Research.

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 →

Have a question this page can’t answer?

Ask Clema anything about Missouri Western State University and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.

Try for freeBook a demo

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card