Simpson College vs. Missouri Southern

Should I go to Simpson College or Missouri Southern State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or Missouri Southern 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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Simpson College vs. Missouri Southern State University comparison
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Simpson College
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Overview

Simpson College Missouri Southern
Location Indianola, IA Joplin, MO
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,151 4,144
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #911
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu mssu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College Missouri Southern
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $8,026
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $16,052
Room & Board $9,654 $7,624
Avg Net Price $23,185 $10,061
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $8,016
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Simpson College Missouri Southern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 1,937
Admitted 1,398 1,927
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 99.5%
Enrolled % 21.6% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 18/24
SAT Range 890/1280 960/1220
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 Aug 15, 2025

Academics

Simpson College Missouri Southern
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (16%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Simpson College Missouri Southern
Graduation Rate 69% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $36,600
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,831
Median Loan Payment $279 $215

Diversity

Simpson College Missouri Southern
% Men 48% 38%
% Women 52% 62%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 77%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 1%
% International 0% 3%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Simpson College Missouri Southern
% In-State 67% 70%
% Out-of-State 32% 28%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Missouri Southern State University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (4,144 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Missouri Southern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Missouri Southern?

  • Simpson College is 450.7% more expensive to attend than Missouri Southern for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $8,026.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 175.4% higher at Simpson College than Missouri Southern State University ($44,202.00 vs. $16,052.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Missouri Southern State University than Simpson College ($10,061 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Missouri Southern State University are 26.6% lower than costs at Simpson College ($7,624 vs. $9,654)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College as Missouri Southern State University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 347.8% larger than aid received Missouri Southern State University ($35,898 vs. $8,016)

Simpson College vs. Missouri Southern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 74 points higher than at Missouri Southern (1030)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Missouri Southern (22)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Missouri Southern (3.5)
  • Missouri Southern has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Simpson College (89.1%)

Simpson College vs. Missouri Southern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or Missouri Southern? 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 Missouri Southern and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Missouri Southern State University (69% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $11,400 more per year than Missouri Southern graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $36,600)
  • Missouri Southern State University students graduate with a $6,169 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($20,831 vs. $27,000)
  • Missouri Southern graduates are paying $64 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($215 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Missouri Southern students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 53%)

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