Missouri Southern vs. Bethel

Should I go to Missouri Southern State University or Bethel University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Missouri Southern or Bethel is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Missouri Southern State University vs. Bethel University comparison
Missouri Southern State University Bethel University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Location Joplin, MO McKenzie, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,144 4,686
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #911 #1002
Religious Affiliation - Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mssu.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Tuition (In State) $8,026 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $16,052 $16,222
Room & Board $7,624 $13,446
Avg Net Price $10,061 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $8,016 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,937 2,489
Admitted 1,927 2,210
Acceptance Rate 99.5% 88.8%
Enrolled % 31.4% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/22
SAT Range 960/1220 928/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Graduation Rate 33% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,831 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $215 $292

Diversity

 Missouri Southern Bethel
% Men 38% 46%
% Women 62% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 46%
% Black 6% 40%
% Hispanic 5% 1%
% Native American 3% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 Missouri Southern Bethel
% In-State 70% 80%
% Out-of-State 28% 19%

Campus

 Missouri Southern Bethel
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bethel University is larger than than Missouri Southern based on total student enrollment (4,686 students vs. 4,144 students)

Missouri Southern vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Missouri Southern or Bethel?

  • Bethel University is 102.1% more expensive to attend than Missouri Southern for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $8,026.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.1% higher at Bethel than Missouri Southern State University ($16,222.00 vs. $16,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than Bethel ($10,061 vs. $13,858)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 76.4% lower than costs at Bethel University ($7,624 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Southern State University than Bethel University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 67.1% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($13,396 vs. $8,016)

Missouri Southern vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Missouri Southern or Bethel? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Bethel or Missouri Southern .

  • The average SAT score at Missouri Southern State University (1030) is 102 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming Missouri Southern students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Missouri Southern (3.5)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Bethel (88.8%)

Missouri Southern vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Missouri Southern or Bethel? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Bethel and Missouri Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Missouri Southern is higher than Bethel University (33% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $6,100 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $36,600)
  • Missouri Southern State University students graduate with a $7,419 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($20,831 vs. $28,250)
  • Missouri Southern graduates are paying $77 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($215 vs. $292)
  • More Missouri Southern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (53% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/