Public · Joplin, Missouri

Missouri Southern State University

Missouri Southern State University is a public institution in Joplin, Missouri. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$12,007
Avg net price / yr
$42,620
10-yr median earnings
39.9%
150%-time completion
97.0%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

Missouri Southern State University pairs above-median former-student earnings with open admission.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

Top 45%
former-student earnings, US
97.0%
acceptance rate
39.9%
150%-time completion
+13%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Small Carnegie: Master's (S)
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Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Missouri Southern State University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

D
College Value Score
46/100
Missouri Southern State University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings C-
$42,620
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price B
$12,007
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate F
39.9%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$19,174
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment C+
66.1%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention F
62.8%
First-year students returning for year two
Missouri Southern State University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$42,620

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$12,007

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

39.9%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 39.9%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Missouri Southern State University vs peers

Missouri Southern State University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 8 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Missouri Southern State University positione… Carnegie Classification: Master's (S) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $30K $59K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $6K $22K Avg Net Price ($) Missouri Southern State University (you are here): $43K earn · $12K net · 40% grad You are here - Missouri Southern … Moberly Area Community College: $38K earn · $7K net · 43% grad Moberly Area Commu… State Fair Community College: $36K earn · $8K net · 42% grad State Fair Communi… Crowder College: $36K earn · $9K net · 46% grad Crowder College Jefferson College: $41K earn · $7K net · 35% grad Jefferson College Truman State University: $56K earn · $13K net · 68% grad Truman State Unive… Missouri Western State University: $43K earn · $13K net · 39% grad Ozark Christian College: $41K earn · $21K net · 66% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Missouri Southern State University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Missouri Southern State University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$42,620 Top 45% higher than 55% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Missouri Southern State University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $42,620 #2287 of 5103 55th
Average net price $12,007 #1492 of 5020 70th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 39.9% #3669 of 4858 24th
Undergraduate enrollment 3,019 #1093 of 5462 80th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

3,019
Undergraduate enrollment
97.0%
Acceptance rate
1,065
SAT average
39.9%
150%-time completion
$42,620
10-yr median earnings
62.8%
First-year retention

How Missouri Southern State University ranks in Missouri

State rank among 120 reporting Missouri colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Missouri Southern State University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $42,620 #56 of 120 53rd
Average net price $12,007 #23 of 119 81st (lower is better)
150%-time completion 39.9% #91 of 107 15th
Undergraduate enrollment 3,019 #20 of 125 84th

Highest former-student earnings in Missouri

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis$137,047$31,817
2Chamberlain University-Missouri$92,405$30,716
3Washington University in St Louis$86,182$21,786
4Research College of Nursing$85,910-
5Barnes-Jewish College Goldfarb School of Nursing$84,393-
6Missouri University of Science and Technology$82,957$16,298
7Saint Louis University$70,783$24,398
8Rockhurst University$67,102$25,884
9University of Missouri-Columbia$63,403$20,268
10Maryville University of Saint Louis$62,105$22,066
11Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences$60,918$19,390
12University of Missouri-Kansas City$59,637$13,310
56Missouri Southern State UniversityThis school$42,620$12,007

Admissions

Admission Rate 97.0%
SAT Average 1,065
SAT Math (25th-75th) 610 – 730
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 540 – 690
ACT Average 21
ACT (25th-75th) 17 – 24
0%100%97%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Missouri Southern State University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Missouri Southern State University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $8,960
Out-of-State Tuition $17,080
Average Net Price $12,007
34.0%
Pell Grant Rate
33.3%
Federal Loan Rate
$19,174
Median Debt
$203/mo
Monthly Payment

2013–2023: what Missouri Southern State University costs has stayed close to flat

Average net price moved +23.5% over 10 years, from $9,437 to $11,653 in nominal dollars. The median college measured over the same span moved +14.6%.

Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $9,4372014: $8,3142015: $9,0112016: $9,1582017: $9,1402018: $9,6352019: $9,6252020: $9,5262021: $9,6072022: $10,3772023: $11,653
2013 · $9,4372023 · $11,653

Over the same years, enrollment went -39.6% (5,132 → 3,101 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

60.7%
Female
45.2%
First Generation

Outcomes

62.8%
Retention Rate
$37,866
Median Earnings (6yr)
57.1%
Earning Over $25K
66.1%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 39.9%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 62.8%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $37,866
Median earnings 10 years after entry $42,620
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 57.1%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 66.1%
Median federal student debt At completion $19,174
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $203/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 19 717 $52,099 $75,985 $19,908
Associate's 4 122 $62,323 $79,023 $18,503
Master's 3 24 $58,131 $58,131 $21,805
Certificate 1 136 $42,086 $42,086 $17,860

Top programs at Missouri Southern State University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Computer Programming Associate's 12 $79,023 -
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 41 $75,985 $22,750
Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's 14 $75,295 -
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Associate's 27 $67,589 $22,143
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other Bachelor's 63 $64,765 $17,963
Public Health Bachelor's 16 $63,965 -
Political Science and Government Bachelor's 1 $62,576 -
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 21 $58,701 $23,250
Business/Commerce, General Master's - $58,131 -
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate's 19 $56,097 $13,375
Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's 146 $55,286 $18,116
Social Work Bachelor's 21 $49,855 $21,234
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 61 $49,114 $21,616
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's 89 $46,892 $21,604
Criminal Justice and Corrections Associate's 64 $46,582 $19,990

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Missouri Southern State University?
Missouri Southern State University is a public institution in Joplin, Missouri. The acceptance rate is 97.0%. The average SAT score is 1,065. Undergraduate enrollment is 3,019 students.
How much do Missouri Southern State University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Missouri Southern State University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $42,620 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $37,866.
How much does Missouri Southern State University cost?
The average net price at Missouri Southern State University is $12,007. In-state tuition is $8,960 and out-of-state tuition is $17,080. Median student debt at graduation is $19,174.
What is the graduation rate at Missouri Southern State University?
Missouri Southern State University has a 39.9% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 62.8%.
Is Missouri Southern State University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Missouri Southern State University is $19,174, while former students earn a median of $42,620 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 45% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 66.1% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $203.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Missouri Southern State University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.