Missouri Southern vs. Northwest

Should I go to Missouri Southern State University or Northwest Missouri State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Missouri Southern or Northwest 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. Northwest Missouri State University comparison
Missouri Southern State University Northwest Missouri State University College 3 College 4
Northwest Missouri State University
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Overview

Missouri Southern Northwest
Location Joplin, MO Maryville, MO
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 4,144 8,505
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #911 #914
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mssu.edu nwmissouri.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Missouri Southern Northwest
Tuition (In State) $8,026 $6,015
Tuition (Out of State) $16,052 $12,082
Room & Board $7,624 $10,428
Avg Net Price $10,061 $14,197
Avg Grant Aid $8,016 $8,387
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 95%

Admission

Missouri Southern Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,937 6,877
Admitted 1,927 5,884
Acceptance Rate 99.5% 85.6%
Enrolled % 31.4% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.45
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 960/1220 938/1158
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 Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (29%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • General Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Missouri Southern Northwest
Graduation Rate 33% 49%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $41,200
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,831 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $215 $258

Diversity

Missouri Southern Northwest
% Men 38% 38%
% Women 62% 62%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 79%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Missouri Southern Northwest
% In-State 70% 65%
% Out-of-State 28% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Northwest Missouri State University is larger than than Missouri Southern based on total student enrollment (8,505 students vs. 4,144 students)

Missouri Southern vs. Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Missouri Southern or Northwest?

  • Missouri Southern State University is 33.4% more expensive to attend than Northwest for in-state tuition ($8,026.00 vs. $6,015.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.9% higher at Missouri Southern than Northwest Missouri State University ($16,052.00 vs. $12,082.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than Northwest ($10,061 vs. $14,197)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 36.8% lower than costs at Northwest Missouri State University ($7,624 vs. $10,428)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Southern State University than Northwest Missouri State University (100% vs. 95%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwest Missouri State University students is 4.6% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($8,387 vs. $8,016)

Missouri Southern vs. Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwest Missouri State University (1047) is 17 points higher than at Missouri Southern (1030)
  • Incoming Northwest students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Missouri Southern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Missouri Southern students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Northwest (3.45)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Northwest (85.6%)

Missouri Southern vs. Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Missouri Southern or Northwest? 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 Northwest and Missouri Southern.

  • The graduation rate at Northwest is higher than Missouri Southern State University (49% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Northwest Missouri State University earn on average $4,600 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($41,200 vs. $36,600)
  • Missouri Southern State University students graduate with a $4,169 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwest graduates. ($20,831 vs. $25,000)
  • Missouri Southern graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Northwest graduates. ($215 vs. $258)
  • More Northwest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Missouri Southern students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 53%)

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