🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants. Affordable on average — net price runs around $16,244/yr. Major value play for in-state residents.

✅ Best for

  • In-state residents (tuition ~$10,611 — major value play)
  • Students drawn to Education or Business, Management, & Marketing (the two biggest majors)

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 970, or ACT below 18 (admitted-class quartiles; GPA floor is a calibrated heuristic where CDS not yet on file)

Verdict is composed from this college's structured data (admit rate, SAT bands, net price by income, Carnegie classification, scholarship grids) using transparent rule thresholds — not a chat-bot's opinion.

🏛️ Institutional snapshot

What kind of college is this?

Carnegie classification
M1: Master's - Larger Programs
Total enrollment
4,378
5,000 - 9,999
In-state tuition
$10,611
sticker, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$17,324
+$6,713 vs in-state
Admit rate
85.9%
Accepts the majority
SAT middle 50%
970–1200
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
18–23
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$47,885
median, after entry

Source: federal IPEDS Admissions 2023 for scores + admit rate; federal College Scorecard (20260606 vintage) for earnings + outcomes. SAT/ACT bands are the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled submitters.

📊 Outcomes & cost

What graduates actually earn, finish, and owe.

Federal College Scorecard data. Earnings are median annual income measured years after entering. Debt is for federal-aid borrowers only (cash-pay students aren't counted).

Earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$41,695
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,885
4-year completion
54%
Median debt (completers)
$21,500
Cost of attendance
$24,945
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
27%

💰 True ROI

7.4× return

What families actually pay (after aid) vs. the sticker — and how 10-yr earnings stack against the real cost. Most sites quote sticker; we quote what families really pay.

What families actually pay (4 yrs)
$64,976
$16,244/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$34,804
vs sticker $99,780
10-yr earnings total
$478,850
$47,885/yr median, 10 yrs out
Years to recoup actual cost
1.4 yrs
at the median earnings rate

"True ROI" = (10-yr median earnings × 10) ÷ (actual 4-yr net price). The actual net is from Scorecard (average across all families); your family's net price will vary by income — see the breakdown above. Earnings are 10 years after enrollment (Scorecard PP-FOS, all majors combined).

💰 What families actually pay

Net price by family income

Net price = sticker price minus grant aid. This is what families actually pay out-of-pocket after scholarships and need-based aid — the most honest affordability signal there is. At Northwest Missouri State University, the average net price is $16,244/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$13,176/yr
Family income $30-48k
$13,447/yr
Family income $48-75k
$13,959/yr
Family income $75-110k
$17,423/yr
Family income $110k+
$20,796/yr

🔎 Earning over $110K? The federal brackets above lump every family from $110K to $1M+ into one row.

Need-based aid usually phases out somewhere between $200K and $300K at private colleges — but the exact threshold varies a lot. For a precise estimate based on your family's actual income, assets, and your student's academic profile, use Northwest Missouri State University's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from Northwest Missouri State University →

Opens on Northwest Missouri State University's site. Takes about 10–15 minutes; have your most recent tax return handy.

Source: College Scorecard (NPT41-NPT45). Net price = total cost of attendance minus federal, state, institutional, and other grants. Some brackets may be suppressed for student-privacy reasons (small cohorts). Title IV first-time, full-time undergraduates only. The $110K+ ceiling is a federal data limitation — Department of Education hasn't refreshed these brackets since the early 2010s.

📚 What students study here

Most popular majors at Northwest Missouri State University

Top 5 fields of study by bachelor's degrees awarded (most recent IPEDS Completions). Use this to see what Northwest Missouri State University actually graduates — not just what it markets.

1. Education
208 degrees · 28.8%
Typical career outcomes
Elementary School Teacher $64k Secondary School Teacher $65k School Principal $101k Special Education Teacher $66k
Teaching is the largest path. Salary depends heavily on district + state.
2. Business, Management, & Marketing
189 degrees · 26.2%
Typical career outcomes
Financial Analyst $100k Management Analyst (Consultant) $99k Marketing Manager $158k Accountant / Auditor $80k
Broad set of corporate roles. Finance + consulting pay top, accounting + HR pay middle, sales spread is wide.
3. Agriculture
126 degrees · 17.5%
Typical career outcomes
Agricultural & Food Scientist $81k Farm / Ranch Manager $84k Agricultural Engineer $88k
Farm management, food science, ag-business operations. Wide range based on path.
4. Psychology
107 degrees · 14.8%
Typical career outcomes
HR Specialist $68k Market Research Analyst $75k Clinical Psychologist (post-PhD) $93k Social Worker $58k
Most undergrad psych grads go into non-clinical roles. Clinical/counseling psych requires a master's or doctoral.
5. Health Professions
91 degrees · 12.6%
Typical career outcomes
Registered Nurse $86k Physician Assistant $130k Pharmacist $136k Physical Therapist (post-DPT) $100k
Highest-paying group on this list, but most careers require additional training beyond a 4-year degree.

Source: IPEDS Completions (C2023_a), bachelor's-level first majors aggregated to 2-digit CIP family. Share is of these top 5 only — not all majors.

💼 Top programs by earnings

Highest-earning majors at Northwest Missouri State University

Median earnings 4 years after entry, by major (CIP code). From the federal College Scorecard program-level outcomes.

Major (CIP) Credential Cohort 1-yr earnings 4-yr earnings
Computer and Information Sciences, General. Bachelor's Degree 22 $65,444 $80,690
Accounting and Related Services. Bachelor's Degree 27 $72,893
Finance and Financial Management Services. Bachelor's Degree 28 $45,810 $65,692
Agricultural Business and Management. Bachelor's Degree 61 $48,302 $58,035
Business Administration, Management and Operations. Bachelor's Degree 95 $43,672 $57,907
Marketing. Bachelor's Degree 48 $48,557 $57,705
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 32 $37,983 $57,564
Geography and Cartography. Bachelor's Degree 6 $55,656
Animal Sciences. Bachelor's Degree 16 $34,876 $53,418
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General. Bachelor's Degree 43 $32,268 $52,179

For full college-vs-major comparison + ROI leaderboards, see /college-outcomes →

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at Northwest Missouri State University

CS degrees (annual)
460
CIP 11.0701 + 11.0101

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

Northwest Missouri State University vs. another college

Type the college you want to compare against. We'll show admit rates, net price by your family income, top majors with career outcomes, and merit aid — all in one side-by-side view.

Alternatives to Northwest Missouri State University

Matched not just by selectivity, but by strategic goal — what a family actually decides on.

🏆 Better merit-aid options
These similar-selectivity schools have published auto-merit grids that Northwest Missouri State University doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
Mississippi State University
MS · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Alabama at Birmingham
AL · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Louisville
KY · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Arkansas
AR · Public
15 auto-merit scholarships on file
💰 Better out-of-state value
For families paying $110k+ income tuition, these schools cost meaningfully less than Northwest Missouri State University.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($14,953 less)
Fairmont State University
WV · Public
$6,945/yr for $110k+ families ($13,851 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($11,628 less)
Eastern New Mexico University-Main Campus
NM · Public
$9,996/yr for $110k+ families ($10,800 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($10,370 less)
🛡️ Safer in-state options
Same state, similar SAT band, but with a more forgiving admit rate — useful safety / match anchors.
Missouri Southern State University
MO · Public
97% admit rate (vs 86% here)

Building a college list?

Use these to fit Northwest Missouri State University into your overall strategy:

See your admit odds → Improve your score → Find merit aid →