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Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Joplin, MO
Population 220,000
Website https://www.mssu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 115 (84%)
Sunshine Hours 2,800 (75%)
Days Without Precipitation 256 (69%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 2,798
Men / Women 40% / 60%
From State 70%
From Region 20%
Athletes 21.4%

Racial/Ethnic

White 63%
Hispanic 10%
Black 8%
International 7%
Native American 5%
Asian 3%
Mixed 2%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 48.6% 48.6% 2012 Men: 46.4% 46.4% 2013 Men: 45.2% 45.2% 2014 Men: 42.2% 42.2% 2015 Men: 42.1% 42.1% 2016 Men: 43.4% 43.4% 2017 Men: 40.1% 40.1% 2018 Men: 39.4% 39.4% 2019 Men: 42.7% 42.7% 2020 Men: 42.4% 42.4% 2021 Men: 42.7% 42.7% 2022 Men: 39.2% 39.2% 2023 Men: 40.8% 40.8% 2024 Men: 40.4% 40.4%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 2.4% 2.4% 2012 Native: 2.9% 2.9% 2013 Native: 2.5% 2.5% 2014 Native: 2.1% 2.1% 2015 Native: 2.1% 2.1% 2016 Native: 3.7% 3.7% 2017 Native: 2.1% 2.1% 2018 Native: 3.8% 3.8% 2019 Native: 3.3% 3.3% 2020 Native: 3.4% 3.4% 2021 Native: 2.8% 2.8% 2022 Native: 4.0% 4.0% 2023 Native: 3.1% 3.1% 2024 Native: 3.0% 3.0% 2011 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2012 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2013 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2014 Asian: 1.2% 1.2% 2015 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2016 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2017 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2018 Asian: 1.5% 1.5% 2019 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2020 Asian: 2.5% 2.5% 2021 Asian: 1.4% 1.4% 2022 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2023 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2024 Asian: 3.7% 3.7% 2011 Black: 3.2% 3.2% 2012 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2013 Black: 4.0% 4.0% 2014 Black: 5.1% 5.1% 2015 Black: 6.7% 6.7% 2016 Black: 5.6% 5.6% 2017 Black: 6.6% 6.6% 2018 Black: 8.0% 8.0% 2019 Black: 8.5% 8.5% 2020 Black: 12.2% 12.2% 2021 Black: 7.2% 7.2% 2022 Black: 10.1% 10.1% 2023 Black: 10.3% 10.3% 2024 Black: 10.5% 10.5% 2011 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2012 Hispanic: 2.7% 2.7% 2013 Hispanic: 2.6% 2.6% 2014 Hispanic: 1.9% 1.9% 2015 Hispanic: 2.7% 2.7% 2016 Hispanic: 2.3% 2.3% 2017 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2018 Hispanic: 4.2% 4.2% 2019 Hispanic: 4.3% 4.3% 2020 Hispanic: 5.0% 5.0% 2021 Hispanic: 5.9% 5.9% 2022 Hispanic: 6.3% 6.3% 2023 Hispanic: 6.0% 6.0% 2024 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2011 White: 84.8% 84.8% 2012 White: 84.0% 84.0% 2013 White: 85.6% 85.6% 2014 White: 85.4% 85.4% 2015 White: 82.5% 82.5% 2016 White: 81.4% 81.4% 2017 White: 78.9% 78.9% 2018 White: 76.4% 76.4% 2019 White: 77.3% 77.3% 2020 White: 71.8% 71.8% 2021 White: 77.1% 77.1% 2022 White: 72.5% 72.5% 2023 White: 71.4% 71.4% 2024 White: 69.8% 69.8% 2011 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2012 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2013 International: 0.1% 0.1% 2014 International: 0.1% 0.1% 2015 International: 0.9% 0.9% 2016 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2017 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2018 International: 1.0% 1.0% 2019 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2020 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2022 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2023 International: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 International: 1.6% 1.6%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 4.1% 4.1% 2021 Native: 4.7% 4.7% 2022 Native: 5.3% 5.3% 2023 Native: 5.9% 5.9% 2024 Native: 5.1% 5.1% 2025 Native: 5.4% 5.4% 2020 Asian: 2.8% 2.8% 2021 Asian: 2.9% 2.9% 2022 Asian: 2.9% 2.9% 2023 Asian: 2.9% 2.9% 2024 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2025 Asian: 3.3% 3.3% 2020 Black: 8.1% 8.1% 2021 Black: 7.7% 7.7% 2022 Black: 7.9% 7.9% 2023 Black: 6.8% 6.8% 2024 Black: 7.4% 7.4% 2025 Black: 7.5% 7.5% 2020 Hispanic: 7.4% 7.4% 2021 Hispanic: 8.7% 8.7% 2022 Hispanic: 8.3% 8.3% 2023 Hispanic: 8.7% 8.7% 2024 Hispanic: 9.0% 9.0% 2025 Hispanic: 9.8% 9.8% 2020 White: 71.3% 71.3% 2021 White: 69.6% 69.6% 2022 White: 69.1% 69.1% 2023 White: 68.1% 68.1% 2024 White: 67.3% 67.3% 2025 White: 63.5% 63.5% 2020 International: 2.4% 2.4% 2021 International: 2.3% 2.3% 2022 International: 2.6% 2.6% 2023 International: 2.8% 2.8% 2024 International: 5.1% 5.1% 2025 International: 6.5% 6.5%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Missouri Southern State University 679 37% / 63% 4% $55,163 60 94%
Computer Science 16 +2 94% / 6% 6% $70,270 83 92%
Chemistry 6 — 17% / 83% 33% $58,965 68 —
Mathematics 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $64,698 77 —
Physics 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $67,855 81 —
Biology 34 — 38% / 62% 0% $61,096 71 90%
Biomedical Sciences 24 +1 46% / 54% 4% $61,096 71 90%
Clinical Laboratory Science 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $77,708 89 —
Environmental Health 16 +1 56% / 44% 0% $68,085 81 100%
Health Professions 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $60,930 71 —
Health Sciences 57 — 12% / 88% 0% $62,219 73 —
Kinesiology 24 — 62% / 38% 4% $49,403 45 94%
Nursing 22 — 18% / 82% 5% $71,711 84 100%
Business 144 — 51% / 49% 6% $62,514 74 95%
Business Studies — — — — $65,164 77 —
Health Administration 16 — 25% / 75% 0% $61,031 71 —
Logistics and Supply Chain Management — — — — $68,246 81 —
Sports Management 8 — 62% / 38% 0% $49,403 45 94%
Communication 6 — 33% / 67% 0% $56,849 63 97%
English 10 — 20% / 80% 0% $45,259 32 —
History 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $46,375 36 —
International Affairs — — — — $61,909 73 —
International Policy Analysis 8 — 62% / 38% 12% $60,153 70 —
Political Science 1 — 100% / 0% 0% $66,246 79 100%
Psychology 35 — 17% / 83% 6% $46,522 36 98%
Romance Languages 4 — 0% / 100% 0% $47,892 40 —
Social Sciences 6 — 17% / 83% 0% — — —
Social Work 10 — 10% / 90% 0% $53,419 56 100%
Sociology 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $42,966 26 100%
Elementary Education 63 — 6% / 94% 3% $43,881 28 93%
General Education 62 — 50% / 50% 2% $44,148 29 93%
Middle School Education 12 +2 50% / 50% 8% $43,881 28 93%
Secondary Education 27 +3 48% / 52% 4% $43,881 28 93%
Acting — — — — $39,058 16 —
Art 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $34,003 8 —
Directing and Theatrical Production — — — — $39,192 16 —
Drama and Theatre Arts 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $38,591 15 —
Music Performance 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $38,844 15 —
Musical Theatre — — — — $36,627 11 —
Studio Art 11 — 27% / 73% 0% $34,003 8 94%
Criminal Justice 33 +2 36% / 64% 0% $47,771 40 94%
Industrial Technology 6 — 83% / 17% 17% $86,757 94 96%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $9,413
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $18,171
Est. In-State Cost $12,177
Est. Out-of-State Cost $23,506
ROI Percentile 60th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 63%
4-Year Graduation Rate 25%
6-Year Graduation Rate 42%
Transfer-Out Rate 26%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 32.5% 32.5% 2012 Graduated: 33.6% 33.6% 2013 Graduated: 37.1% 37.1% 2014 Graduated: 36.7% 36.7% 2015 Graduated: 31.1% 31.1% 2016 Graduated: 29.9% 29.9% 2017 Graduated: 33.2% 33.2% 2018 Graduated: 32.7% 32.7% 2019 Graduated: 32.3% 32.3% 2020 Graduated: 32.1% 32.1% 2021 Graduated: 37.0% 37.0% 2022 Graduated: 35.6% 35.6% 2023 Graduated: 38.3% 38.3% 2024 Graduated: 41.6% 41.6%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 25.9% 25.9% 2012 Men: 32.4% 32.4% 2013 Men: 29.1% 29.1% 2014 Men: 29.2% 29.2% 2015 Men: 26.0% 26.0% 2016 Men: 24.2% 24.2% 2017 Men: 29.8% 29.8% 2018 Men: 26.6% 26.6% 2019 Men: 28.3% 28.3% 2020 Men: 26.0% 26.0% 2021 Men: 29.6% 29.6% 2022 Men: 32.0% 32.0% 2023 Men: 34.6% 34.6% 2024 Men: 38.8% 38.8% 2011 Women: 37.8% 37.8% 2012 Women: 34.5% 34.5% 2013 Women: 43.8% 43.8% 2014 Women: 43.0% 43.0% 2015 Women: 36.5% 36.5% 2016 Women: 35.1% 35.1% 2017 Women: 36.4% 36.4% 2018 Women: 37.9% 37.9% 2019 Women: 35.5% 35.5% 2020 Women: 36.5% 36.5% 2021 Women: 42.2% 42.2% 2022 Women: 38.3% 38.3% 2023 Women: 40.8% 40.8% 2024 Women: 43.4% 43.4%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 20.0% 20.0% 2012 Native: 16.0% 16.0% 2013 Native: 15.8% 15.8% 2014 Native: 40.0% 40.0% 2015 Native: 41.2% 41.2% 2016 Native: 3.2% 3.2% 2017 Native: 6.7% 6.7% 2018 Native: 25.0% 25.0% 2019 Native: 20.0% 20.0% 2020 Native: 25.9% 25.9% 2021 Native: 32.0% 32.0% 2022 Native: 30.0% 30.0% 2023 Native: 33.3% 33.3% 2024 Native: 53.8% 53.8% 2011 Asian: 50.0% 50.0% 2012 Asian: 75.0% 75.0% 2013 Asian: 50.0% 50.0% 2014 Asian: 44.4% 44.4% 2015 Asian: 18.2% 18.2% 2016 Asian: 41.7% 41.7% 2017 Asian: 46.7% 46.7% 2018 Asian: 9.1% 9.1% 2019 Asian: 18.8% 18.8% 2020 Asian: 20.0% 20.0% 2021 Asian: 50.0% 50.0% 2022 Asian: 70.0% 70.0% 2023 Asian: 44.0% 44.0% 2024 Asian: 65.6% 65.6% 2011 Black: 25.9% 25.9% 2012 Black: 30.2% 30.2% 2013 Black: 29.0% 29.0% 2014 Black: 27.0% 27.0% 2015 Black: 18.5% 18.5% 2016 Black: 14.9% 14.9% 2017 Black: 36.2% 36.2% 2018 Black: 27.1% 27.1% 2019 Black: 20.0% 20.0% 2020 Black: 16.3% 16.3% 2021 Black: 14.1% 14.1% 2022 Black: 23.0% 23.0% 2023 Black: 18.2% 18.2% 2024 Black: 17.8% 17.8% 2011 Hispanic: 52.6% 52.6% 2012 Hispanic: 17.4% 17.4% 2013 Hispanic: 40.0% 40.0% 2014 Hispanic: 28.6% 28.6% 2015 Hispanic: 27.3% 27.3% 2016 Hispanic: 26.3% 26.3% 2017 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2018 Hispanic: 16.1% 16.1% 2019 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2020 Hispanic: 37.5% 37.5% 2021 Hispanic: 32.7% 32.7% 2022 Hispanic: 34.9% 34.9% 2023 Hispanic: 41.4% 41.4% 2024 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2011 White: 31.9% 31.9% 2012 White: 34.1% 34.1% 2013 White: 38.0% 38.0% 2014 White: 37.7% 37.7% 2015 White: 32.9% 32.9% 2016 White: 32.3% 32.3% 2017 White: 34.3% 34.3% 2018 White: 35.1% 35.1% 2019 White: 34.9% 34.9% 2020 White: 34.3% 34.3% 2021 White: 39.7% 39.7% 2022 White: 37.7% 37.7% 2023 White: 41.6% 41.6% 2024 White: 43.9% 43.9%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Business & Economics 24.7% 168 49% / 51% 5% $61,748 73 95%
Education 24.2% 164 33% / 67% 3% $43,982 28 93%
Health Sciences 17.8% 121 29% / 71% 2% $62,296 73 98%
Humanities & Social Sciences 12.7% 86 23% / 77% 3% $49,497 45 98%
Life & Natural Sciences 8.5% 58 41% / 59% 2% $61,096 71 90%
Professional 5.7% 39 44% / 56% 3% $53,769 56 94%
Computer Science 2.4% 16 94% / 6% 6% $70,270 83 92%
Arts 2.2% 15 20% / 80% 0% $34,937 9 94%
Physical Sciences & Math 1.8% 12 33% / 67% 17% $62,621 74 —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Agriculture & Food Science — — — — — — — —
Business & Economics — — — — — — — —
Computer Science — — — — — — — —
Education — — — — — — — —
Engineering — — — — — — — —
Health Sciences — — — — — — — —
Humanities & Social Sciences — — — — — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences — — — — — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math — — — — — — — —
Total — — — — — — — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App Yes
Acceptance Rate 72%
Yield (Unbound) 19%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 72% 72% 72%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 96.5% 96.5% 2012 Acceptance: 96.2% 96.2% 2013 Acceptance: 97.3% 97.3% 2014 Acceptance: 96.0% 96.0% 2015 Acceptance: 94.1% 94.1% 2016 Acceptance: 94.3% 94.3% 2017 Acceptance: 95.1% 95.1% 2018 Acceptance: 95.6% 95.6% 2019 Acceptance: 94.1% 94.1% 2020 Acceptance: 98.3% 98.3% 2021 Acceptance: 96.9% 96.9% 2022 Acceptance: 99.5% 99.5% 2023 Acceptance: 97.4% 97.4% 2024 Acceptance: 97.0% 97.0% 2011 Yield: 47.5% 47.5% 2012 Yield: 45.4% 45.4% 2013 Yield: 48.1% 48.1% 2014 Yield: 44.5% 44.5% 2015 Yield: 44.0% 44.0% 2016 Yield: 43.1% 43.1% 2017 Yield: 39.7% 39.7% 2018 Yield: 41.2% 41.2% 2019 Yield: 33.8% 33.8% 2020 Yield: 35.5% 35.5% 2021 Yield: 35.2% 35.2% 2022 Yield: 31.4% 31.4% 2023 Yield: 25.8% 25.8% 2024 Yield: 20.5% 20.5%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 1,691 1,691 2012 Applicants: 1,836 1,836 2013 Applicants: 1,726 1,726 2014 Applicants: 2,002 2,002 2015 Applicants: 2,333 2,333 2016 Applicants: 2,599 2,599 2017 Applicants: 2,682 2,682 2018 Applicants: 2,304 2,304 2019 Applicants: 2,295 2,295 2020 Applicants: 2,034 2,034 2021 Applicants: 1,695 1,695 2022 Applicants: 1,937 1,937 2023 Applicants: 2,302 2,302 2024 Applicants: 3,194 3,194 2011 Admitted: 1,632 1,632 2012 Admitted: 1,766 1,766 2013 Admitted: 1,679 1,679 2014 Admitted: 1,922 1,922 2015 Admitted: 2,196 2,196 2016 Admitted: 2,452 2,452 2017 Admitted: 2,550 2,550 2018 Admitted: 2,203 2,203 2019 Admitted: 2,159 2,159 2020 Admitted: 2,000 2,000 2021 Admitted: 1,642 1,642 2022 Admitted: 1,927 1,927 2023 Admitted: 2,243 2,243 2024 Admitted: 3,099 3,099 2011 Enrolled: 775 775 2012 Enrolled: 802 802 2013 Enrolled: 808 808 2014 Enrolled: 856 856 2015 Enrolled: 966 966 2016 Enrolled: 1,057 1,057 2017 Enrolled: 1,012 1,012 2018 Enrolled: 908 908 2019 Enrolled: 729 729 2020 Enrolled: 710 710 2021 Enrolled: 578 578 2022 Enrolled: 605 605 2023 Enrolled: 579 579 2024 Enrolled: 634 634

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 75%
SAT Range 1150 – 1420
SAT Math Range 610 – 730
SAT RW Range 540 – 690

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 840 840 2020 25th: 840 840 2021 25th: 950 950 2022 25th: 960 960 2023 25th: 1000 1000 2024 25th: 1150 1150 2019 75th: 1140 1140 2020 75th: 1110 1110 2021 75th: 1170 1170 2022 75th: 1220 1220 2023 75th: 1170 1170 2024 75th: 1420 1420

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 430 430 2020 25th: 410 410 2021 25th: 480 480 2022 25th: 490 490 2023 25th: 500 500 2024 25th: 610 610 2019 75th: 560 560 2020 75th: 550 550 2021 75th: 610 610 2022 75th: 610 610 2023 75th: 570 570 2024 75th: 730 730

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2019 25th: 410 410 2020 25th: 430 430 2021 25th: 470 470 2022 25th: 470 470 2023 25th: 500 500 2024 25th: 540 540 2019 75th: 580 580 2020 75th: 560 560 2021 75th: 560 560 2022 75th: 610 610 2023 75th: 600 600 2024 75th: 690 690

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 90.0% 90.0% 2012 Submitted: 88.0% 88.0% 2013 Submitted: 88.0% 88.0% 2014 Submitted: 89.0% 89.0% 2015 Submitted: 85.0% 85.0% 2016 Submitted: 95.0% 95.0% 2017 Submitted: 95.0% 95.0% 2018 Submitted: 94.0% 94.0% 2019 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2020 Submitted: 93.0% 93.0% 2021 Submitted: 86.0% 86.0% 2022 Submitted: 84.0% 84.0% 2023 Submitted: 72.0% 72.0% 2024 Submitted: 75.0% 75.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.