Missouri State University-West Plains is a public institution offering associate degrees based in West Plains, Missouri. It enrolls 965 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
59/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes32
Value52
Affordability44
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Missouri State University-West Plains admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $9,750 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,936
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,106
Room & Board (on-campus)
$7,450
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,115
Books & Supplies
$1,038
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,161
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$10,111
Total Cost of Attendance
$16,592
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$9,115
$30,001 – $48,000
$8,729
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,540
$75,001 – $110,000
$10,951
Over $110,000
$12,298
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,75010%percentile
$2,75025%percentile
$10,000Medianpercentile
$11,00075%percentile
$22,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,920
↓ $4,080
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,500
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,500
Independent students $8,000
↓ $2,000
Female students $6,500
↓ $3,500
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,500
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($10,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
18% of students who start here finish within six years, and 58% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
18%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
58%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $36,922 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$36,922
Earning > $25K
63%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$27,600
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$38,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $10,400, about 27% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
10.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 965 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 49% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
965
Part-Time
24%
First-Generation
49%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 84.3%813
Hispanic 4.4%42
Other 4.3%42
Black 3.3%32
Asian 1.6%15
International 0.4%4
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Missouri State University-West Plains. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Missouri State University-West Plains offers
a varied set of programs:
16 distinct programs across
10 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 12 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
12:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,057
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Avg Faculty Salary
$59,835
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
38 instructional faculty across 5 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
8
21%
$73,858
Associate Professors
10
26%
$64,562
Assistant Professors
9
24%
$55,528
Instructors
7
18%
$52,748
Lecturers
4
11%
$42,069
Pros & Cons of Missouri State University-West Plains
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Missouri State University-West Plains is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Missouri State University-West Plains is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Missouri State University-West Plains
The questions families ask most about Missouri State University-West Plains, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Missouri State University-West Plains hard to get into?
Not especially. Missouri State University-West Plains admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Missouri State University-West Plains?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Missouri State University-West Plains cost?
Budget around $9,750 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Missouri State University-West Plains worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $36,922 a year against a net price of $9,750, about 3.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Missouri State University-West Plains known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Teaching Specific Subjects. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Missouri State University-West Plains graduates earn?
About $36,922 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Missouri State University-West Plains accredited?
Yes. Missouri State University-West Plains is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Missouri State University-West Plains?
965 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Missouri State University-West Plains?
18% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Missouri State University-West Plains a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Missouri State University-West Plains located?
Missouri State University-West Plains is located in West Plains, Missouri.
What programs does Missouri State University-West Plains offer?
16 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Nursing, Teaching Specific Subjects. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Missouri State University-West Plains?
12 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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