Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, MO · Public · Small city · MSSU · Missouri Southern
Public institution in Joplin, MO · 3,101 undergraduates · 97% acceptance rate · $42,620 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 16%Cost of attendance
- Top 20%In-state tuition & fees
- Top 22%Average net price
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $11,653432nd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $8,400411th cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $16,800652nd cheapest of 2,042 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $19,194323rd cheapest of 1,985 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $19,174567th lowest of 1,880 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $42,6201,489th highest of 1,969 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $37,8661,359th highest of 1,964 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 38.3%1,562nd highest of 2,031 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 69.6%1,257th highest of 1,853 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 97.4%1,488th most selective of 1,608 reporting
- Average SAT
- 1090706th highest of 1,024 reporting
- Median ACT
- 21703rd highest of 954 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 3,101680th largest of 2,162 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 16.0:11,471st smallest of 2,159 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 35.0%951st highest of 2,140 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 323 mi (DAL)
On 1 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Applying
- Common App member
- Yes
- Application fee
- $30
- Personal essay
- Optional / not required
- Writing supplement
- No
Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 32 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansEngineering Technology | bachelors | $61,516 | $57,318 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $51,571 | $54,515 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralComputer Science | bachelors | $50,231 | $47,930 |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, OtherHealth Professions | bachelors | $48,725 | $43,426 |
| Public HealthHealth Professions | bachelors | $41,937 | $39,729 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBusiness | bachelors | $36,951 | $38,946 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsHomeland Security & Law Enforcement | bachelors | $32,925 | $33,543 |
| Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness | bachelors | $32,467 | $26,121 |
| Communication and Media StudiesCommunications | bachelors | $32,284 | $32,391 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesLiberal Arts | bachelors | $32,245 | $30,771 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $31,162 | $32,270 |
| Education, GeneralEducation | bachelors | $29,685 | $34,298 |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1937source
- Athletic nickname: "Lions"source
- Competes in NCAA Division IIsource
- Mascot: Roary the Lionsource
- Campus size: about 373 acressource
- Formerly known as "Joplin Junior College" (1937–1977)source
- Formerly known as "Missouri Southern State College" (1977–2003)source
- Formerly known as "Missouri Southern State University–Joplin" (2003–2005)source
- Athletic conference: The MIAAsource
- Plays for the "Arch Rivalry Trophy" (since 1896)source
- Plays for the "Battle Line Trophy" (since 1906)source
- Plays for the "Indian War Drum; Lamar Hunt Trophy" (since 1891)source
- Plays for the "Telephone Trophy" (since 1896)source
- Football rivalry: Kansas State–Missouri (since 1909)source
- Plays for the "Victory Bell" (since 1892)source
- Plays for the "Tiger–Sooner Peace Pipe" (since 1902)source
- Plays for the "Mayor's Cup" (since 1979)source
- Plays for the "Miner's Helmet and Axe{{Cite web|url=https://mssulions.com/news/2019/11/13/football-heads-to-pitt-state-for-miners-bowl.aspx|title=Football Heads To Pitt State For Miners Bowl|date=November 13, 2019 |publisher=Missouri Southern State University Athletics|access-date=November 22, 2019}}" (since 1968)source
- 1 Nobel laureate affiliatedsource
- Fight song: ""Fight Tiger""source
- Notable alum: Janet L. Kavandisource
Athletics — 8 sports
NCAA Division II with football · NCAA Division II
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $2,793,478 (M $1,663,319 · W $1,130,159)
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Key links
- Official websitemssu.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 178341)
- Compare colleges in MORe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in MissouriEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Showdown: Missouri Southern State University vs Truman State UniversityHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 8 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.