Southern Oregon University (SOU) vs MoWest

Southern Oregon University (SOU) and Missouri Western State University (MWSU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique characteristics. SOU, nestled in the picturesque Rogue Valley of Oregon, boasts a smaller student body and a higher acceptance rate compared to MWSU, which is located in the vibrant city of St. Joseph, Missouri. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, SOU excels in liberal arts and sciences, while MWSU is renowned for its strong business and nursing programs. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further differences, including student demographics, graduation rates, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the university that best aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Missouri Western State University	Southern Oregon University
Overview
Location	Saint Joseph, Missouri	Ashland, Oregon
Campus setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Quarter
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	60.0%	69.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	89.7%
Application fees	$50	Undergraduate: $60 Graduate: $60
SAT range	N/A	980 - 1230
ACT range	N/A	18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score		32.0%
Students submitting ACT score		21.0%
Total number of applicants		1,913
Total number of admissions given out		1,716
Admitted students who chose to enroll		519
Yield rate		30.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Not required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,745 Out of state: $29,270	In state: $25,142 Out of state: $42,962
Average net price	$13,090	$12,134
Tuition	In state: $6,900 Out of state: $13,552	In state: $9,045 Out of state: $26,865
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,024 Meal plan: $4,770	Room/dormitory: $8,235 Meal plan: $5,925
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $8,453	75.0% Average amount $5,932
Students receiving federal student loan	51.0% Average amount $5,533	42.0% Average amount $4,778
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $10,537	0.0% Average amount $0

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,219 Men 37.5% Women 62.5%	4,396 Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students	176 Men 31.8% Women 68.2%	783 Men 30.3% Women 69.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	17.1%	N/A
International students	1.2%	1.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,239	1,000
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Missouri Kansas Nebraska Iowa Texas	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Business Multidisciplinary Studies	Education Business Visual & Performing Arts Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	20:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	36.5%	41.0%
Dropout rate	31.3%	55.3%
Transferred out	28.3%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,395 Year 2: $57,643 Year 3: $57,081 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,358 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $47,808 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,272 Year 2: $43,128 Year 3: $46,120 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $36,805 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $45,979 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,876 Year 2: $37,568 Year 3: $43,766 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $52,160 Year 2: $50,606 Year 3: $43,358 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,262 Year 2: $40,821 Year 3: $41,431 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,540 Year 2: $33,993 Year 3: $35,458 Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,966 Year 2: $30,119 Year 3: $34,438 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,429 Year 2: $28,753 Year 3: $33,706	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,797 Year 2: $47,729 Year 3: $50,405 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,167 Year 2: $47,650 Year 3: $50,120 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,975 Year 2: $40,017 Year 3: $47,745 Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,536 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $47,221 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,746 Year 2: $33,192 Year 3: $42,371 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,398 Year 2: $29,322 Year 3: $40,135 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,901 Year 2: $31,042 Year 3: $34,974 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,131 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $33,557 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,663 Year 2: $26,739 Year 3: $32,403 Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,082 Year 2: $21,312 Year 3: $26,467

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