Missouri State University College Portrait
Missouri State University901 S. National Springfield, MO 65897
417-836-5000
Missouri State University
Follow Your Passion. Find Your Place.
Missouri State University is a public university system with an enrollment of approximately 21,000 students who come from Missouri, more than 40 other states and about 70 countries. There are four physical campuses, located in Springfield, MO; West Plains, MO; Mountan Grove, MO; and Dalian, China. It's easy to follow your passion and find your place at Missouri State! You can choose from a wide range of strong academic programs, including more than 150 bachelor's options, nearly 50 master's degrees and several doctoral programs. You will see a focus on real-world success thanks to a Career Center that helps students and alumni reach their professional goals. Missouri State is also an unbeatable value. Our cost is lower than state and national averages, plus we have lots of ways to help you pay for school.
Living in the Missouri State Bears Community
Community
The main campus is located in Springfield. The campus is compact and attractive, and includes a performing arts center and a state-of-the-art basketball arena. Springfield is the third-largest city in Missouri. It has a blend of small-town coziness and big-city pizzazz. It's a great place to be a college student because it's safe, there's a lot to do and the cost of living is relatively low. Our student body is known for being warm and welcoming, and there are more than 250 student organizations for those who want to get involved. One distinctive thing about Missouri State is our public affairs mission. The themes of the mission are community engagement, cultural competence and ethical leadership. The mission is about helping others, getting involved and becoming a leader. The mission is everywhere on campus, from the classroom to special events such as conferences open to the community.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
More Information
| Total Students | 20,472 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 17,205 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 9,568 | 56% |
| Men | 7,637 | 44% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 136 | 1% |
| Asian | 245 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 564 | 3% |
| Hispanic | 429 | 2% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 31 | <1% |
| White | 14,222 | 83% |
| Two or More Races | 265 | 2% |
| International | 652 | 4% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 661 | 4% |
| Where do MSU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Missouri | 88% |
| Other US States & Territories | 8% |
| Other Countries | 4% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are MSU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 22 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 15% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2010)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 21 - 27 | |
| Math | 20 - 26 | 510 - 650 |
| English | 21 - 28 | |
| Critical Reading | 490 - 630 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 54% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 84% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 89% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.58 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 98% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $13,450
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend Missouri State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 48% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,107. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 47% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,257. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2008-2009 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
MSU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 21 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 60% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 88% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 699 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 46% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 11% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 83% |
Campus-based Housing
80% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
28% of all undergraduates live on campus
More Information
Campus Safety
The University Safety and Transportation Department fosters a safe and secure environment for the university community through professional services in law enforcement, security, crime prevention/education, and traffic/parking with an emphasis on community policing concepts.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate comprehensive
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
More Information
Student Activities and Involvement at MSU
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 84% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 45% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 43% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 86% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 4% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 8% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 44% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 1% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 92% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 98% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 83% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 75% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 92% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 54% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 71% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 94% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 56% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 59% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 88% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 43% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 84% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 87% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 76% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Missouri State University in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 3,185 |
| Master's | 978 |
| Doctoral | 26 |
| Total | 4,189 |
More Information
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES | 9% |
| Education, General | 9% |
| Marketing/Marketing Management, General | 7% |
| Business Administration and Management, General | 6% |
| Psychology, General | 5% |
| Links to degree programs at Missouri State University |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral |
Future Plans of 2009-10 Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Survey Administration Process
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 84% four-year success and progress rate means that 84% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
More Information
Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 2,664 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 869 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 73%
More Information
Student Learning at Missouri State University
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Evaluation of student performance began with the origin of the University through a variety of traditional measures and was formalized with the establishment of the Center for Assessment and Instructional Support in 1987 and public reporting of performance measures in 1994. Assessment incorporates entrance assessment, placement in English and mathematics, assessment of student achievement in the major, testing of general education, licensure pass rates, graduation and retention rates, professional accreditation, and surveys of the perceptions of students, faculty and employers to provide a comprehensive assessment program. A systematic review process evaluates all programs through annual reports and a self-study process involving external reviewers on a rotating five year schedule. A separate process evaluates the outcomes for each general education course on a three year cycle and makes recommendations for continuation and improvements.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
Data from Missouri State's ETS Proficiency Profile will be available soon.