Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, Missouri · Public
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Missouri Western State University receives a CampusROI score of 29 (Below Benchmark tier) under our methodology, alongside a 38.5% completion rate. Published tuition is $10,306 in state and $20,866 out of state, and the average net price is $13,251 per year, or $53,004 over four years of attendance (a cost figure, not a debt figure). The net price is higher than published tuition because it measures the full cost of attendance after grant aid, not tuition alone. Median debt at graduation is $19,968 against average earnings of $31,300 six years after entry, a 0.638 debt-to-earnings ratio, and median earnings reach $42,647 ten years after entry. Our model estimates a 25.2-year payback period. Three years after leaving, 71.4% of borrowers were making progress on repayment. Outcomes vary widely by program and by student, and these institution-level figures describe past cohorts rather than any individual result. Figures are from the 2024-2025 College Scorecard release.
How Missouri Western State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate38.5% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period25.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Missouri Western State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,306/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $20,866/yr |
| Average net price | $13,251/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,004 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,647 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $31,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $19,968 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $212 |
| Estimated payback period | 25.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 38.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,219 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $10,306/year ($20,866/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,251/year, or roughly $53,004 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $11,243/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,764/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $19,968, which works out to about $212 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($31,300) and comes to 0.64, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $11,243 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,674 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,965 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,119 |
| $110,001+ | $17,764 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 report an average net price of $11,243 per year, about $45,000 over four years. Institutional and outside aid can change this figure significantly for individual students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families earning $30,001-$48,000 report an average net price of $11,674 per year, families earning $48,001-$75,000 report $13,965, and families earning $75,001-$110,000 report $16,119.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 report an average net price of $17,764 per year, about $71,100 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Missouri Western State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $74,875 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,581 | C |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $51,174 | D |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $52,709 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $39,163 | C |
| Marketing | $57,015 | C |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $45,251 | C |
| Biology | $53,505 | C |
| Psychology | $46,402 | D |
| Social Work | $46,187 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing has 91 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a B grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $70,938 in the first year and $74,875 by year four, against median debt of $25,000 (a 0.352 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations has 54 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $41,902 in the first year and $62,581 by year four, against median debt of $25,497 (a 0.608 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other has 44 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a D grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $34,729 in the first year and $51,174 by year four, against median debt of $26,863 (a 0.774 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Teacher Education
Teacher Education has 38 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $33,695 in the first year and $39,163 by year four, against median debt of $21,352 (a 0.634 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice and Corrections has 38 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $39,808 in the first year and $52,709 by year four, against median debt of $20,149 (a 0.506 debt-to-earnings ratio).
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 71.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 52.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.1% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Missouri Western State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 2,219 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,902 |
Missouri Western's admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT and ACT ranges are not reported either. The completion rate of 38.5% measures the share of first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of normal time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missouri Western State University (this school) | 29 | $13,251 | $42,647 |
| University of Central Missouri | 48 | $14,462 | $49,560 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 29 | $24,100 | $43,582 |
| University of Maryland Eastern Shore | 28 | $13,338 | $47,697 |
| Rogers State University | 28 | $15,314 | $43,166 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
Who Thrives Here
Students relying heavily on loans should compare the net price for their income bracket using Missouri Western's net price calculator.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Missouri Western State University scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,251 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $42,647 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 25.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 38.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 71.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $19,968 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $31,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Missouri Western State University: Common Questions
Is Missouri Western State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Missouri Western State University scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,251 a year after aid against $42,647 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 25.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Missouri Western State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,251 a year, or roughly $53,004 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Missouri Western State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $42,647 ten years after enrolling, roughly $847 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Missouri Western State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 25.2 years for Missouri Western State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Missouri Western State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $19,968, against average earnings of $31,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.64. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Missouri Western State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 38.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.