Truman State University — College Profile

About

Truman State University is Missouri’s designated public liberal arts and sciences university, widely recognized for offering a rigorous, private-college-style education at an accessible public tuition rate. The university boasts particularly strong programs in biology, nursing, business administration, and education, emphasizing hands-on learning and direct faculty mentorship. Set in the quiet town of Kirksville, campus culture is close-knit and intellectually driven, with a high proportion of students actively participating in undergraduate research, study abroad, and student organizations. Distinctively, Truman stands out as one of the Midwest's few public liberal arts institutions, consistently sending a remarkably high percentage of its graduates directly into top-tier graduate and professional schools.

Wikipedia:Truman State University is a public liberal arts university in Kirksville, Missouri, United States. It had 3,664 enrolled students in the fall of 2024 pursuing degrees in 55 undergraduate and twelve graduate programs.

Location

Kirksville, MO, 63501-4221 · Town campus

✈

Nearest airport from college

MCI · Kansas City

129 mi away

Open in Google Maps

Cost & aid

Cost of attendance

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition & fees$9,838$18,566

Housing & food (on campus)$11,128$11,128

Books & supplies$1,000$1,000

Cost of attendance$25,115$39,431

Average net price$12,780Not published

Out-of-state prices

Tuition & fees$18,566

In-state: $9,838

Housing & food (on campus)$11,128

Books & supplies$1,000

Cost of attendance$39,431

In-state: $25,115

Average net priceNot published

In-state: $12,780

Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.truman.edu

How it’s made up · out-of-state, 2025-26

Truman State University’s own figures for 2025-26, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.

Tuition$20,297

Fees$1,170

Housing$13,034

Books & supplies$1,000

Personal expenses$2,500

Transportation$1,430

Total published by the school$39,431

Source: www.truman.edu · checked Sep 13, 2026

Net price by family income · in-state students, 2023-24

$0–30k

$6,046

$30–48k

$7,926

$48–75k

$12,426

$75–110k

$15,425

$110k+

$17,220

Your family's actual price → Truman State University net price calculator

Source: U.S. College Scorecard

Outcomes

Completion

Within 6 yrs

68%

Entered 2017–18

Within 4 yrs

58%

Back for yr 2

85%

Transferred

8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students

71% graduated · 20% transferred · 8% left or unknown · none still enrolled

Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021

6 yrs after entry$43,966

10 yrs after entry$56,280

Debt

Median at graduation$21,000

Monthly payment$223

Middle 50% owe$7.5k–$27k

90th percentile$32,000

Green marks a figure above the typical Master's (medium programs): 52% graduate within 6 yrs, $51,562 earned 10 yrs after entry.

Admissions

Getting in · applied for fall 2024

Admit rate

84%

Test policy

Test optional

Per College Scorecard

SAT average

1320

R 600–700 · M 570–670

ACT midpoint

Comp 25–31 · E 24–33 · M 23–28

SAT middle 50%: 1170–1370

40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If Truman State University asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body

Gender

Men 40%Women 60%

Who enrolls

Faculty ratio

12 : 1

Pell grant

17%

First-gen

23%

Family income

$70,948

Independent

Age at entry

19.0

Part-time

Race & ethnicity

White

78%

Hispanic

Black

Asian

Two or more

Non-resident

10%

Unknown

Varsity sports

NCAA Division II with football · EADA 2024-25

Baseball
Men's
Basketball
Men's · Women's
Football
Men's
Golf
Women's
Soccer
Men's · Women's
Softball
Women's
Swimming
Men's · Women's
Tennis
Women's
Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
Men's · Women's
Volleyball
Women's

Programs & Earnings

Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings

Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021

After 6 yrs

$43,966

After 10 yrs

$56,280

Business Administration, Management and Operations108

Psychology, General79

Biology, General72

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness67

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing55

Accounting and Related Services39

English Language and Literature, General36

Computer Science32

Public Health32

Communication and Media Studies28

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology26

Communication Disorders Sciences and Services26

Political Science and Government24

Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services20

Mathematics20

Criminal Justice and Corrections18

Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.

Institutional

Resources

Endowment

$70M

Full-time faculty

86%

Faculty salary

$7,584/mo

Teaching spend

$15,401

per student

Federal loans

27%

Classification

Carnegie type

Master's (medium programs)

Undergraduate profile