Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Southwestern Oklahoma 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
Southwestern Oklahoma State University Featured Rankings
- #7 Best Online MBAs Oklahoma
- #12 Best Public Colleges in Oklahoma 2026
- #12 Oklahoma's Best Online Master's Degrees
- #13 Most Affordable Colleges in Oklahoma
- #14 Oklahoma's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #15 Best Small Colleges in Oklahoma 2026
- #15 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Oklahoma 2026
- #19 Best Colleges in Oklahoma 2026
About Southwestern Oklahoma State University
According to Wikipedia, Southwestern Oklahoma State University is a public university in Weatherford and Sayre, Oklahoma. It is one of six Regional University System of Oklahoma members. History SWOSU was first established through an act of the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature in 1901 as Southwestern Normal School, although no classes were held until 1903. Several towns fought a court battle to become the home of the new school, but Weatherford won the battle. The normal school included both a two-year degree program for teacher education and a preparatory school. In 1920, the preparatory part of the school closed and a four-year baccalaureate degree program replaced it. The first bachelor's degrees by the renamed Southwestern State Teachers College were awarded in the spring of 1921.
Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Online Degrees
MEd in Special Education- Mild Moderate
- Required Credits: 33
- Format: Fully online
Southwestern Oklahoma State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,689 | 100% | 68% | 46% | 20 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2023; 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 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $8,683 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $13,810 |
| 30K - 48K | $12,037 |
| 48K - 75K | $12,840 |
| 75K - 110K | $17,642 |
| 110K+ | $23,318 |
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 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Southwestern Oklahoma State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $53,203 a year, and 90% 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.
Southwestern Oklahoma 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5,869 | 4,833 | 1,036 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Southwestern Oklahoma State University?
Southwestern Oklahoma State University is located at 100 Campus Dr, Weatherford, OK 73096-3001.
How Safe is Southwestern Oklahoma State University?
Southwestern Oklahoma State University reported 0.6 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, Southwestern Oklahoma State University has a violent crime rate of 0.02% and a property crime rate of 0.04%. Weatherford has a violent crime rate of 0.06% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 0.41%. 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 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Known For?
Southwestern Oklahoma State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Chemistry
- History
- Communications
- Biology
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Business
- Criminal Justice
- Mathematics
- Engineering
- Computer Science
- Education
- Medical
- Literature
- Nursing
Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Southwestern Oklahoma 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
Southwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1321 in the U.S. and #5307 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1342 in the U.S. and #4303 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1348 in the U.S. and #5083 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1612 in the U.S. and #6594 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1720 in the U.S. and #7218 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1861 in the U.S. and #5562 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1934 in the U.S. and #7000 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #1989 in the U.S. and #3936 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2050 in the U.S. and #7594 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2073 in the U.S. and #9590 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2121 in the U.S. and #8293 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2159 in the U.S. and #8104 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2262 in the U.S. and #7886 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2446 in the U.S. and #7853 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSouthwestern Oklahoma State University ranks #2947 in the U.S. and #8050 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWho Are Southwestern Oklahoma State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Southwestern Oklahoma State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of History, Criminal Justice, and Social Work. Here are some of Southwestern Oklahoma State University's most famous alumni:
- Rex Ryan
- An American football coach.
- Stanley Vestal
- An American historian and poet.
- J. Herbert Taylor
- An American biologist.
- Henrietta Mann
- A Cheyenne educator.
- Joe Anna Hibler
- An American teacher.
- Wayne B. Thomas
- An American economist.
- Jim Thomas
- A Canadian football player.
- Will Rogers
- A Politician in Oklahoma.
- Douglas Keszler
- A .
- Clift Schimmels
- An American football coach.
