Missouri Southern State University
Missouri Southern State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Missouri Southern State University Featured Rankings
About Missouri Southern State University
According to Wikipedia, Missouri Southern State University is a public university in Joplin, Missouri. It was established in 1937 as Joplin Junior College. The university enrolled 4,346 students in Fall 2021. History Missouri Southern State University was founded in 1937 as Joplin Junior College. At its conception, Joplin Junior College had 114 students and only 9 faculty members. In 1964, residents of Jasper County, Missouri approved a $2.5 million bond issue to begin construction on a new campus, where the university is currently located. The new campus opened in the fall of 1967 with 2,399 students and 95 faculty members. In 1977, the school was renamed Missouri Southern State College and officially became a state-assisted four-year college and part of the state of Missouri's higher education system. In 2003, the Missouri General Assembly authorized the renaming of the college to Missouri Southern State University - Joplin; in 2005 the university dropped Joplin from its name.
Missouri Southern State University's Online Degrees
BS in Environmental Health and Safety
- Required Credits: 120
- Format: Fully online
BS in Health Science
Degree Concentrations
- Dental Hygiene
- Respiratory Therapy
- Radiologic Technology
- Paramedic / EMS
- Format: Fully online
BS in Business Administration
Degree Concentrations
- General Business
- Accounting
- International Business
- Management
- Human Resources Management
- Marketing
- Finance
- Required Credits: 120
- Format: Fully online
BS in Criminal Justice Administration
- Required Credits: 120-124
- Format: Fully online
Missouri Southern State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,302 | 97% | 63% | 39% | 1285 | 20 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Missouri Southern State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,240 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $10,595 |
| 30K - 48K | $8,454 |
| 48K - 75K | $8,870 |
| 75K - 110K | $12,395 |
| 110K+ | $14,415 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Missouri Southern State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Missouri Southern State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $48,193 a year, and 89% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Missouri Southern State University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 4,967 | 4,757 | 210 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Missouri Southern State University?
Missouri Southern State University is located at 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801-1595.
How Safe is Missouri Southern State University?
Missouri Southern State University reported 0.5 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most midsize partly residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Missouri Southern State University has a violent crime rate of 0.02% and a property crime rate of 0.02%. Joplin has a violent crime rate of 0.59% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 4.58%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Missouri Southern State University Known For?
Missouri Southern State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- Communications
- Business
- Medical
- Computer Science
- Biology
- Law
- Nursing
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Literature
Missouri Southern State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Missouri Southern State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Missouri Southern State University ranks #543 in the U.S. and #2626 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1023 in the U.S. and #3993 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1130 in the U.S. and #2214 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1193 in the U.S. and #4533 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1282 in the U.S. and #4738 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1290 in the U.S. and #4432 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1293 in the U.S. and #5496 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1316 in the U.S. and #5450 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1374 in the U.S. and #4714 worldwide for influence in Law.
Missouri Southern State University ranks #1413 in the U.S. and #3582 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1460 in the U.S. and #4675 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1466 in the U.S. and #5855 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #1492 in the U.S. and #3931 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #2317 in the U.S. and #9837 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesMissouri Southern State University ranks #2851 in the U.S. and #9441 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesWho Are Missouri Southern State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Missouri Southern State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Chemistry, and Nursing. Here are some of Missouri Southern State University's most famous alumni:
