Missouri Southern vs. UHCL

Should I go to Missouri Southern State University or University of Houston Clear Lake? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Missouri Southern or UHCL is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Missouri Southern State University vs. University of Houston Clear Lake comparison
Missouri Southern State University University of Houston Clear Lake College 3 College 4
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Overview

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Location Joplin, MO Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,090 8,211
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #921
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website mssu.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Tuition (In State) $8,400 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $16,800 $19,608
Room & Board $7,172 $11,014
Avg Net Price $11,264 $10,488
Avg Grant Aid $7,514 $12,220
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 69%

Admission

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,302 2,348
Admitted 2,243 1,768
Acceptance Rate 97.4% 75.3%
Enrolled % 25.8% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/23
SAT Range 1000/1170 990/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Graduation Rate 33% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,600 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,831 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $215 $177

Diversity

 Missouri Southern UHCL
% Men 1% 9%
% Women 3% 16%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 43%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 36%
% Native American 3% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Missouri Southern UHCL
% In-State 67% 95%
% Out-of-State 27% 0%

Campus

 Missouri Southern UHCL
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is larger than than Missouri Southern based on total student enrollment (8,211 students vs. 4,090 students)

Missouri Southern vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Missouri Southern or UHCL?

  • Missouri Southern State University is 39.4% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($8,400.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.7% higher at UHCL than Missouri Southern State University ($19,608.00 vs. $16,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Clear Lake than Missouri Southern ($10,488 vs. $11,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 53.6% lower than costs at University of Houston Clear Lake ($7,172 vs. $11,014)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Missouri Southern State University than University of Houston Clear Lake (91% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 62.6% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($12,220 vs. $7,514)

Missouri Southern vs. UHCL Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Missouri Southern or UHCL? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UHCL or Missouri Southern .

  • The average SAT score at Missouri Southern State University (1030) is 5 points higher than at UHCL (1025)
  • Incoming Missouri Southern students have at the same average ACT score (22) as students at UHCL (22)
  • Accepted freshman Missouri Southern students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at UHCL (3.39)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than UHCL (75.3%)

Missouri Southern vs. UHCL Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Missouri Southern or UHCL? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UHCL and Missouri Southern.

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $17,100 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $36,600)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $3,681 lower median federal student loan debt than Missouri Southern graduates. ($17,150 vs. $20,831)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $38 less per month on federal student loans than Missouri Southern graduates. ($177 vs. $215)
  • More UHCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Missouri Southern students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 53%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/