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Missouri State University-Springfield

#1590 in US ranking Springfield, MO
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

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Missouri State University-Springfield award
Missouri State University-Springfield award

Cost

Cost / year
$25,632
Tuition & fees
$10,732
Avg. aid
$8,161
Receiving aid
95%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
91%
SAT range
1020–1270
ACT range
19–26

Outcomes

Graduation rate
58%
Median salary
$41,451
1 yr after graduation

What is the accreditation of Missouri State University-Springfield?

Missouri State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Institutional accreditation applies to the university as a whole and is an important consideration for federal financial aid eligibility and for other institutions evaluating its coursework.

Some professional programs also have specialized accreditation or approval relevant to their fields. That is a separate question from university-wide accreditation: students considering a licensed profession should check the exact program, campus or delivery format, and applicable state licensing rules. Accreditation does not guarantee that another college will accept every transfer course or that completion of a degree alone will satisfy every licensure requirement.

What are the admission requirements at Missouri State University-Springfield?

First-year applicants to Missouri State generally apply with a high school record showing graduation or an accepted equivalent. The university is not an open-admission institution; academic preparation matters even though its recent first-year admission rate was relatively high.

Admissions records identify the secondary-school transcript and GPA as required parts of review. Class rank may be considered but is not required, and SAT or ACT scores are considered rather than universally required. In the reported entering class, 68% submitted ACT scores and 4% submitted SAT scores; those figures describe enrolled students, not a testing requirement. The university's general admissions information should be read alongside any current test-optional rules affecting scholarships or particular programs.

Neither recommendations nor a separate demonstration of competencies is listed as a general first-year requirement. International applicants may need to document English proficiency, and admission to a selective major can involve additional standards after admission to the university. Applicants should use the requirements for their own category - first-year, transfer, international, graduate, or returning student - and confirm the applicable term deadline before submitting materials.

What are the application fees and waivers at Missouri State University-Springfield?

A reported undergraduate application fee for Missouri State is $40. Applicants should check the amount shown in the current application before paying, because fees and waiver procedures can differ by applicant type or change between admission cycles.

An application fee is distinct from tuition, housing charges, and any later enrollment-related payment. Students for whom the fee is a barrier should ask undergraduate admissions about current fee-waiver eligibility and the steps for requesting a waiver before submitting a paid application. Graduate and international applicants should follow the fee instructions for their own application rather than assuming the undergraduate amount applies.

What types of ROTC programs are available at Missouri State University-Springfield?

Missouri State has an Army ROTC unit on the Springfield campus. Army ROTC combines college coursework with military leadership training and offers a route toward commissioning for students who meet its requirements.

Joining an ROTC class, receiving an ROTC scholarship, and accepting a commission are different steps with different eligibility rules and potential service commitments. Interested students should discuss those distinctions with the Army ROTC program before making a financial or military commitment. Applicants seeking Air Force or Navy ROTC should confirm whether an approved participation arrangement is available to Missouri State students rather than assuming those branches operate on campus.

What are the requirements for transfer students at Missouri State University-Springfield?

Missouri State admits transfer applicants for fall, spring, and summer entry. Transfer students must document their prior college work, and admission to the university should not be confused with a guarantee that every completed course will meet a particular degree requirement.

Applicants should arrange official transcripts from each institution attended and review the university's current transfer-admission rules for any GPA or credit-hour threshold that applies to their situation. High school records may also matter for applicants with limited college coursework. After admission, a formal credit evaluation determines how accepted courses apply; a course that transfers as elective credit may still leave a major requirement unfinished.

The university recognizes some forms of examination or recommended credit, including AP, CLEP, DSST, and ACE-recommended learning, subject to its applicable policies. Missouri transfer pathways and course-equivalency information can help with advance planning, but students pursuing a tightly sequenced major should obtain a degree-specific evaluation and ask about any minimum Missouri State coursework required to graduate.

What types of study abroad programs are available at Missouri State University-Springfield?

Missouri State offers education-abroad options that can include short-term faculty-led travel and longer study through approved international programs or partners. The right option depends on a student's major, available courses, destination, schedule, and budget.

Before committing to a program, students should confirm how its courses will satisfy degree requirements, whether academic approval is needed, and how tuition, program charges, travel, and housing will be billed. Financial aid does not necessarily cover every expense or apply identically to every program. Education-abroad advising and a student's academic advisor can help resolve credit questions before departure - particularly important for students in majors with strict course sequences.

Missouri State University-Springfield Admissions Factors

SAT range
1020–1270
4001600
ACT range
19–26
136
Acceptance rate
91%

Acceptance rate vs. median

This school
91%
Missouri
77%
US
78%

26% of admitted students enrolled (2,689 of 10,487)

ACT scores of enrolled students

ACT in range 12-17
ACT in range 18-23
ACT in range 24-29
ACT in range 30-36

Missouri State University-Springfield Admissions

Applicants
Total: 11,584
Admission
Total: 10,487
Enrolled
Total: 2,689
Women
Men

How to Apply to Missouri State University-Springfield

Application fee

$40

Early Decision

No

Early Action

No

Missouri State University-Springfield First-Year Students

Where first-year students come from

In-state: 2,187
Out-of-state: 357
International: 60

Freshmen vs. transfer students

Freshmen: 2,689
Transfer: 1,278

Missouri State University-Springfield Admission Requirements

Median composite SAT score

1105

Median composite ACT score

23

Percent of students submitting ACT scores

68%

Percent of students submitting SAT scores

4%

High school completions

General Educational Development (GED) required

Secondary school GPA

Required

Secondary school rank

Considered but not required

Secondary school record

Required

Completion of college-preparatory program

Neither required nor recommended

Recommendations

Neither required nor recommended

Formal demonstration of competencies

Neither required nor recommended

Admission test scores

Considered but not required

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language

Required

Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.)

Neither required nor recommended

Open admission policy

No

Dual credit

No

Credit for life experiences

No

Advanced placement (AP) credits

Yes

Special learning opportunities

ROTC-Army

ROTC branch unit on campus

Study abroad

Yes

Student can complete their preparation in certain areas of specialization

Yes

Preparation at another institution required

No

Approved by the state for initial certification or licensure of teacher

Yes

Missouri State University-Springfield Transfer Acceptance Rate

Generally accepts credits

Yes

Possible transfer

Fall, Spring, Summer

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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