A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at MWSU are mostly White with a smaller Black population. The school has low racial diversity. 21% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
79%
|
| Black |
10%
|
| Hispanic |
1%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
1%
|
| Race Unknown |
3%
|
There are 61% more female students than male students enrolled at Missouri Western State University with a gender ratio of 62% women to 38% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, MWSU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is slightly less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
38%
|
| Women |
62%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,539
|
| Women |
2,484
|
MWSU serves a very low number of students outside of Missouri, with 82 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
82%
|
| Out of State |
17%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
52% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 19.6% |
| Part time Undergrads | 18.3% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=178387 IPEDS survey data for Missouri Western State University.