Head-to-head comparison
Missouri Southern State University vs Cottey College: which has better ROI?
Option A Joplin, MO
Missouri Southern State University
- Net price / year
- $12,007
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,620
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Nevada, MO
Cottey College
- Net price / year
- $13,805
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,422
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Missouri Southern State University comes closer — median earnings $42,620 against a $48,028 total, vs $35,422 at Cottey College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Missouri Southern State University | Cottey College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,007 | $13,805 |
| Total net cost | $48,028 | $55,220 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,620 | $35,422 |
| Median debt | $19,174 | $19,043 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$162,828 | -$313,980 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Missouri Southern State University or Cottey College?
Missouri Southern State University, at $12,007 a year after aid versus $13,805 — a gap of $1,798 a year, or $7,192 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Missouri Southern State University or Cottey College graduates earn more?
Missouri Southern State University graduates report a median $42,620 ten years after entry, $7,198 more than the $35,422 at Cottey College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Missouri Southern State University or Cottey College?
Cottey College: its completers carry a median $19,043 in federal loans versus $19,174 at Missouri Southern State University, a difference of $131. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
56% of students finish at Cottey College, against 42% at Missouri Southern State University. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.