Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, Missouri · Public · 3,019 undergraduates · mssu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
97%
of 2,613 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1120 to 1400
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$25,330Est.Estimate
$35,100 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Missouri Southern State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
97% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$35,100
a year in 2027-28, from a $35,100 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1300
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1300).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- Applicants under 21 qualify with any one of: HS GPA 2.25+, ACT composite 21+, or top 50% of class; scores are one admission pathway, not required.
Source: First Time Students - Missouri Southern State University · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
97%
of applicants were admitted: 2,523 of 2,613 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 5% of them sent SAT scores and 70% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1120 to 1400
Reading and Writing 600 to 690
Math 540 to 710
ACT composite 18 to 25
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160030%
- 1200 to 139937%
- 1000 to 119926%
- 800 to 9997.4%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.49
- 4.018%
- 3.75 to 3.9922%
- 3.50 to 3.7414%
- 3.25 to 3.4914%
- 3.00 to 3.2411%
- 2.50 to 2.9914%
- Below 2.506.1%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$25,330
a year, in state
$35,100
a year, out of state (tuition $19,450)
- Tuition (in state)$9,680
- Fees$930
- Food and housing$9,290
- Books and supplies$1,440
- Transportation and other$3,990
Missouri Southern State University published $24,611 in state for 2026-27. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$10,595
- $30,001 to $48,000$8,454
- $48,001 to $75,000$8,870
- $75,001 to $110,000$12,395
- Over $110,000$14,415
Financial aid
34%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$6,839
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
21%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $5,438 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
Missouri programs for residents
Higher Education Academic Scholarship (Bright Flight)
$1,000 to $3,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 1600+ SAT or 32+ ACT, Tier 1 (top 3% of MO test takers); US citizen/permanent resident; first-time full-time enrollment in academic year immediately after HS graduation, from Missouri$3,000
- 1590+ SAT or 30+ ACT, Tier 2 (4th-5th percentile of MO test takers); US citizen/permanent resident; first-time full-time enrollment in academic year immediately after HS graduation, from Missouri$1,000
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
29 of 29
Earn credit with a score of 3
29 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $970Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Art 101 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Art 103 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ART 110 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIO 101 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 5 | MATH 150 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 10 | MATH 150 and MATH 250 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 5 | CHEM 151 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSC Elective (ELEC 100) |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 5 | CIS 110 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | Art 130 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENG 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 6 | ENG 101, ENG 250 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | EH 107 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | Hist 130 or Hist 140 |
| European History | 5 | 6 | Hist 130 and Hist 140 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 310 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 201 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 202 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUS Elective (ELEC 100) |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 160 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 162 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 5 | PHYS 295 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 5 | PHYS 275 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSY 100 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 9 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 12 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203, SPAN 204 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 15 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203, SPAN 204, & SPAN 310 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 9 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 12 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203, SPAN 204 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 15 | SPAN 101, SPAN 102, SPAN 203, SPAN 204, & SPAN 310 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH T126 (Satisfies MSSU General Education Math requirement) |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | PSC 120 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 110 or HIST 120 |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST 110 and HIST 120 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 180 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
39%
Come back for a second year
63%
Typical earnings
$48,193
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Missouri Southern State University$59,326
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 15 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Missouri Southern State University. The Missouri Southern State University logo is a trademark of the college.