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Missouri Southern State University
Admission at Missouri Southern State University is close to open (97%), which shifts the homework to outcomes: check the $42,620 median earnings below before the application.
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Missouri Southern State University sits in Joplin proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 5% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, where graduates median $75,985 four years out. 34% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. Most of its 3,019 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 62.8% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1000 and 1170 — near the MO middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Missouri Southern State University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Missouri Southern State University received 2,302 applications and admitted 2,243 (97.4%), with 579 enrolling.
Missouri Southern State University is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1000–1170 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Missouri Southern State University's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 500 | 570 | 600 |
| SAT Math | 500 | 530 | 570 |
| ACT Composite | 18 | 21 | 24 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
How Missouri Southern State University compares
| Missouri Southern State University | Missouri median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 97% | 72.6% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,960 | $20,293 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $42,620 | $47,885 | $53,781 |
At $42,620, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($47,885). Look at Missouri Southern State University's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $8,960 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $17,080. For non-residents, Missouri Southern State University's $17,080 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 3,019 undergrads, Missouri Southern State University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
41.6% graduate within six years. Roughly 58% don't — ask a Missouri Southern State University tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Missouri Southern State University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $75,985 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $75,295 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other | $64,765 |
| Public Health | $63,965 |
| Political Science and Government | $62,576 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $58,701 |
| Business/Commerce, General | $55,286 |
| Social Work | $49,855 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $49,114 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $46,892 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $41,771 |
| Psychology, General | $41,008 |
| Sociology | $40,957 |
| Biology, General | $40,412 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $40,402 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $39,419 |
| Education, General | $39,273 |
Median earnings for these 17 Missouri Southern State University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $42,620 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 20 additional Missouri Southern State University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Missouri Southern State University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1000–1170 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 97% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Missouri Southern State University's acceptance rate?
97.4% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 2,243 admitted from 2,302 applicants.
How much does Missouri Southern State University cost?
In-state tuition is $8,960; out-of-state students pay $17,080. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Missouri Southern State University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $42,620 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Missouri
- Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary — 96.4% admitted
- Maryville University of Saint Louis — 95.1% admitted
- Northwest Missouri State University — 86.1% admitted
- Ozark Christian College — 93.6% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.