Southwest Baptist University
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and students who want small classes and close faculty access. no major red flags in the data. a private nonprofit school with 1,339 students.
About This School
Southwest Baptist University is a private nonprofit institution located in Bolivar, Missouri with approximately 1,339 undergraduate students enrolled. Southwest Baptist University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 100%. The average net price after financial aid is $21,082 per year. The graduation rate is 51%, and the typical graduate earns $37,400 within 10 years of enrollment.
Southwest Baptist University (SBU) is a private Baptist university in Bolivar, Missouri, United States. It is affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention, which is part of the Southern Baptist Convention. In 2023, it had a total enrollment of 2,168 students.
The numbers tell a mixed story here — a $14,000 median debt load is genuinely low and manageable, but a 51% graduation rate and 66% freshman retention rate suggest that many students who start here don't finish, which is worth taking seriously. Worth considering if you're drawn to a faith-centered Baptist community in a small-town Missouri setting and want an affordable private school experience, but ask hard questions about academic support before committing. The median earnings of $37,400 a decade out are modest, so this fits best if your intended career path doesn't require a high-salary ceiling to make the investment worthwhile.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (1,339 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
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Ozarks Technical Community College
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Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO · Private nonprofit
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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