Southwest Baptist University
A good fit for students who want small classes and close faculty access. freshman retention is below 65%. a private nonprofit school with 1,341 students.
About This School
Southwest Baptist University is a private nonprofit institution located in Bolivar, Missouri with approximately 1,341 undergraduate students enrolled. Southwest Baptist University has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 68%. The average net price after financial aid is $21,677 per year. The graduation rate is 55%, 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
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: 11% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
What Each Major Actually Earns
Median earnings four years after graduation, by major, next to the national median for that same major at every college. The school-wide average hides this: at most schools the spread between the best- and worst-paying majors is far wider than the gap between schools.
Southwest Baptist University graduates earn most above the national rate in Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness ($58,770 vs $54,562 nationally), and most below it in Computer Science ($62,016 vs $107,009).
| Major | Grads | Here | National | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 51 | $78,525 | $88,910 | −$10,385 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 47 | $58,770 | $54,562 | +$4,208 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 35 | $36,697 | $47,382 | −$10,685 |
| Psychology, General | 29 | $43,058 | $50,706 | −$7,648 |
| Computer Science | 21 | $62,016 | $107,009 | −$44,993 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 19 | $56,182 | $68,257 | −$12,075 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 12 | $41,618 | $51,389 | −$9,771 |
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data. Median earnings of graduates working and not enrolled four years after completing a bachelor's degreehere. Majors with too few graduates to report are omitted for privacy, so this is not the school's full program list.
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 (1,341 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
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See How Colleges Compare
Southwest Baptist University is one of thousands of colleges in our data studies, each built from the same U.S. Department of Education data shown on this page. Compare schools head to head:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at Southwest Baptist University?
Southwest Baptist University has an acceptance rate of 68%, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.
Is Southwest Baptist University hard to get into?
Southwest Baptist University is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 68%. Solid grades and a complete application give most applicants a real shot.
How much does Southwest Baptist University cost?
The average net price at Southwest Baptist University is about $21,677 per year after grants and scholarships, based on federal data. Your actual cost depends on your family's finances and aid package.
What is the graduation rate at Southwest Baptist University?
Southwest Baptist University has a graduation rate of 55%, according to U.S. Department of Education data.
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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