Missouri Southern State University is a public four-year institution based in Joplin, Missouri. The campus sits in a small city. Fall 2024 enrollment was 4,147, made up of 3,881 undergraduates and 266 graduate students.
Missouri Southern State University offers certificates, associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees across 117 programs. Its largest programs by number of graduates are Business/Commerce, Criminal Justice/Police Science, and Elementary Education and Teaching. It awarded 1,101 degrees and certificates in 2024-25. 25 of its programs can be completed entirely online.
63% of full-time first-year students return for a second year. The student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1.
Key figures
4,147
Students enrolled
63%
First-year retention
1,101
Degrees and certificates awarded, 2024-25
117
Programs and majors
15:1
Student-to-faculty ratio
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Delivery modes
CampusOnlineHybrid
Program levels
CertificateAssociateBachelorMaster
Programs and majors offered 117
Graduate counts are degrees and certificates awarded in each program between July 2024 and June 2025. Largest fields are listed first.
Retention is for students who started in fall 2023 and returned in fall 2024.
First-year retention, full-time students
63%
First-year retention, part-time students
16%
Student-to-faculty ratio
15:1
Degrees and certificates awarded
Awards conferred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.
Bachelor's degrees
679
Associate degrees
104
Master's degrees
54
Certificates under 1 year
82
Certificates of 1 to 2 years
180
Postbaccalaureate certificates
2
Enrollment
Students, fall 2024
4,147
Undergraduates, fall 2024
3,881
Graduate students, fall 2024
266
Full-time, fall 2024
62%
Students over the full 2024-25 year
5,090
Undergraduates, 2024-25
4,778
Graduate students, 2024-25
312
Full-time, 2024-25
58%
Size category
1,000 to 4,999 students
Student body
Share of all students enrolled during 2024-25. Small groups can round to zero and are not listed.
Women
62%
Men
38%
White
64%
Hispanic or Latino
9%
Black or African American
6%
Asian
3%
Two or more races
2%
American Indian or Alaska Native
4%
International (U.S. nonresident)
5%
Race or ethnicity unknown
6%
Online and flexible learning
Distance education in 2024-25.
Programs that can be completed fully online
25
Programs with a fully online option
5
Online undergraduate programs
Yes
Online graduate programs
Yes
Students studying fully online
21%
Students taking some online courses
58%
Weekend or evening classes
Yes
Campus and services
Setting
Small city
Academic calendar
Semester
Carnegie classification
Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
Athletic association
NCAA
Athletic conference
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association
President
Dr. Dean Van Galen
Services and opportunities
Study abroad, Teacher certification, Academic and career counseling, Student employment services, Job placement for graduates, On-campus day care, Accepts AP credit, Credit for life experience
For veterans and service members
Yellow Ribbon Program, Credit for military training, Dedicated veterans contact, Student veteran organization