🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants. Affordable on average — net price runs around $12,780/yr. Major value play for in-state residents.

✅ Best for

  • Solid academic profile (SAT 1126–1318 · ACT 23–29 middle 50% + typically a 3.7+ unweighted GPA in rigorous coursework)
  • In-state residents (tuition ~$9,838 — major value play)
  • Students drawn to Business, Management, & Marketing or Health Professions (the two biggest majors)
  • Families wanting a small undergraduate experience

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 1126, or ACT below 23, or unweighted GPA below ~3.50 (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
M2: Master's - Medium Programs
Total enrollment
2,513
1,000 - 4,999
In-state tuition
$9,838
sticker, before aid
Out-of-state tuition
$18,566
+$8,728 vs in-state
Admit rate
80.0%
Accepts the majority
SAT middle 50%
1126–1318
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
23–29
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$56,280
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
$43,966
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$56,280
4-year completion
69%
Median debt (completers)
$21,000
Cost of attendance
$25,115
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
17%

💰 True ROI

11.0× 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)
$51,120
$12,780/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$49,340
vs sticker $100,460
10-yr earnings total
$562,800
$56,280/yr median, 10 yrs out
Years to recoup actual cost
0.9 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 Truman State University, the average net price is $12,780/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$6,046/yr
Family income $30-48k
$7,926/yr
Family income $48-75k
$12,426/yr
Family income $75-110k
$15,425/yr
Family income $110k+
$17,220/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 Truman State University's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from Truman State University →

Opens on Truman 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 Truman State University

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

1. Business, Management, & Marketing
139 degrees · 28.7%
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.
2. Health Professions
112 degrees · 23.1%
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.
3. Biological & Biomedical Sciences
97 degrees · 20.0%
Typical career outcomes
Biological Scientist $87k Medical & Clinical Lab Tech $61k Pharmaceutical Rep $82k Physician (post-MD) $239k
Many bio majors → med school / grad school. Direct-employment bio roles are lower-paid than that pipeline.
4. Psychology
72 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. Parks, Recreation, Leisure, & Fitness
65 degrees · 13.4%
Typical career outcomes
Athletic Trainer $58k Fitness Trainer / Coach $46k Recreation Director $65k
Coaching, athletic training, public-sector recreation, fitness industry.

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 Truman 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 $74,794 $106,203
Accounting and Related Services. Bachelor's Degree 62 $59,919 $84,515
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Bachelor's Degree 50 $68,736 $77,315
Business Administration, Management and Operations. Bachelor's Degree 96 $50,422 $70,633
Biology, General. Bachelor's Degree 79 $31,435 $61,647
Political Science and Government. Bachelor's Degree 20 $39,813 $60,586
Public Health. Bachelor's Degree 46 $30,911 $60,157
Criminal Justice and Corrections. Bachelor's Degree 31 $32,176 $56,596
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. Bachelor's Degree 78 $26,865 $55,213
Sociology. Bachelor's Degree 19 $52,584

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

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at Truman State University

CS degrees (annual)
31
CIP 11.0701 + 11.0101

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

Truman 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 Truman 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 Truman State University doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
AL · Public
39 auto-merit scholarships on file
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
The University of Alabama
AL · Public
23 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
💰 Better out-of-state value
For families paying $110k+ income tuition, these schools cost meaningfully less than Truman State University.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($11,377 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($8,052 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($6,794 less)
Indiana University-Kokomo
IN · Public
$10,593/yr for $110k+ families ($6,627 less)
Texas A & M International University
TX · Public
$10,697/yr for $110k+ families ($6,523 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 80% here)
Missouri State University-Springfield
MO · Public
91% admit rate (vs 80% here)

Building a college list?

Use these to fit Truman State University into your overall strategy:

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