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Northwest Missouri State University (NMSU) is a mid-sized institution located in Maryville, MO, which is about an hour and a half north of Kansas City. The campus currently educates around 5,000 undergraduate students and around 2,000 in pursuit of a master's degree. The undergrads can choose between over 120 programs, while graduate students have over 40 degrees to pursue. NMSU's students not only spend time expanding their minds and career opportunities but they love exploring the campus resources.


Overview of Northwest Missouri State University (NMSU)


In fact, NMSU offers multiple centers for fitness and recreation where students participate in intramural and club sports, outdoor recreation adventures, E-sports, and more. There's even a campus disc golf course where students can play a quick round before class. The student recreation center offers students six racquetball courts, volleyball courts, ping pong tables, cardio machines, and more. For those who want to pump iron, the Foster Fitness Center is full of free weights, rooms for fitness classes, and a renovated locker room.

Students also engage with others via a range of clubs and organizations. There is a Greek system for socializing and service work, over 150 clubs that offer leadership opportunities, and student government for those who want to lead the student body to new heights.

General Information


School Type Public
Campus Setting Town: Remote
Campus Housing Yes
Student Faculty Ratio 19:1
Graduation Rate 52%
Year Founded 1905

Student Enrollment


Total Students7,870

Undergraduate
5,306
Graduate
2,564

Undergraduate Student

Male 2,122
2,122
Female 3,184
3,184

Graduate Student

Male 1,026
1,026
Female 1,538
1,538

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NMSU Acceptance Rate and Admissions


APPLICATIONS7,039

Male 2,382
Female 4,657

ACCEPTANCE6,054

Male 2,025
Female 4,005

Acceptance Rate86%

Male 85%
Female 86%

Enrollment 969

Male 344
Female 601
Admissions
Application Fee NA
High School GPA Required
High School Rank Recommended
High School Transcripts Required
College Prep Courses Required
Recommendations NA
SAT/ACT Considered But Not Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Required
Application Deadline Rolling
Common Application Accepted No

NMSU Tuition Cost & Financial Aid


Educational costs are a hot topic these days. Since NMSU is a publicly funded institution, they are able to offer Missouri students a lower price tag for their tuition, fees, and other academic costs. Out-of-state students, on the other hand, must pay more since their tax dollars don't pay into the school's budget. Thus, while Missouri state residents pay around $9,500 for a year of academics, out-of-state students pay over $15,000 for the same services. Then, students must also cover the cost of room, board, and other costs associated with living as a college student.

Altogether, a Missouri resident sees their gross educational costs for a year at NMSU hover between $21,000 to live on campus and $23,000 to live in a student apartment. Non-residents, on the other hand, pay between $27,500 to live on campus and $29,000 to live in an apartment in town. However, these figures are before the financial aid office mitigates the costs with grants, scholarships, and other forms of financial aid.

Once the financial aid office works its magic, the average net price for a year at NMSU is under $14,000. For the lowest income households, that figure averages just over $10,000 and households that earn over $110,000 pay around $17,500. Note that these figures include all living expenses.

Average net price 2020-2021
Net Price $13,754
Average Total Aid $8,153
Students Receiving Financial Aid 98%
Room & Board $9,548

Sticker Price


  • Tuition In-State - $8,852
  • Tuition Out-of-State - $14,919
  • Books and Supplies - $400
  • Room & Board - $9,548
  • Other - $8,852

Academics


Northwest Missouri State University has much to offer students in terms of amenities and recreational opportunities. And it also excels in its primary mission: higher education. To verify the school's academic prowess, our researchers took a look at educational statistics such as the retention rate, graduation rate, and more. This objective research is intended to offset more subjective reasons that students choose a school, such as the football team.

When it comes to the retention rate, NMSU posts very strong numbers. For its first-time, full-time students, they report that over 75% are retained for a second year. Part-time students also stick around at a rate of 33%. This is a relatively strong showing for a public university that also posts strong graduation numbers.

While the overall graduation rate is just over 50%, that's not the whole story. NMSU also reports that 29% of students transfer to other institutions. Since transfer students are often highly motivated students who seek out greater challenges or specific degree programs that NMSU doesn't yet support, you can consider that NMSU prepares up to 79% of students for a college degree, whether on their Maryville, MO campus or elsewhere.

Student Population Total


Student Population 7,870

Undergraduate
5,306
Graduate
2,564
Evening Classes : No
Online Learning : Yes

Most Popular Programs & Majors

(# of Diplomas Awarded by Subject)


All Education Majors 229 Total Graduates / 21%
Elementary Education and Teaching 124 Graduates
Early Childhood Education and Teaching 33 Graduates
Music Teacher Educatio 14 Graduates
Agricultural Teacher Education 12 Graduates
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 12 Graduates
All Business Majors 194 Total Graduates / 18%
Business Administration and Management, General 95 Graduates
Marketing/Marketing Management, General 32 Graduates
Accounting 28 Graduates
Finance, General 19 Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields 125 Total Graduates / 11%
Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 63 Graduates
Agriculture, General 28 Graduates
Agronomy and Crop Science 17 Graduates
Animal Sciences, General 11 Graduates
All Psychology Majors 104 Total Graduates / 9%
Psychology, General 47 Graduates
Social Psychology 38 Graduates
Behavioral Neuroscience 19 Graduates
Health Professions and Related Programs 83 Total Graduates / 8%
Health and Wellness, General 39 Graduates
Dietetics/Dietitian 24 Graduates
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer 10 Graduates
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 8 Graduates
All Other Diplomas 33%

Outcome & Salary


Current and future Northwest Missouri State University students might choose their major degree program based on projected salaries. Or it might at least play a role in choosing a specific program to focus on. Researchers have tallied all the data and found some of the median salary figures from NMSU's various degree programs. At the top of the list were the computer and information sciences students, who report a median entry-level salary of $74,000. Rounding out the top earning degrees were the plant sciences students, whose median entry-level salary is $50,000. Of the top five salaries, the accounting students had the median salary, with reported median earnings of $52,000. It's worth noting that salary data does not include other forms of compensation, such as bonuses and benefits packages.

Graduates Salary
College Grads Early Career Salary $50,800
College Grads Average Salary $66,000
College Grads Mid Career Salary $90,500
Return on Investment (ROI)
10 Year Salary Earnings Potential $660,000
20 Year Salary Earnings Potential $1,565,000
Cost of Education (Net Price) 4 Year $55,016
10 Year Projected ROI $604,984
20 Year Projected ROI $1,509,984
No College Education Salary Comparison
National Average Salary $38,792
10 Year Projected Income $387,920
20 Year Projected Income $775,840

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