Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
- More
Cape Girardeau , MO
Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) is a public university located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Established in 1873, SEMO offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various fields of study. With a student enrollment of approximately 11,000, SEMO provides a vibrant and inclusive learning environment that promotes personal growth and academic excellence.
SEMO is known for its strong emphasis on experiential learning, providing students with numerous opportunities to engage in hands-on learning experiences through internships, cooperative education, research, and community service. The university also boasts state-of-the-art facilities, including modern classrooms, labs, and studios, to enhance the learning experience and foster innovation. SEMO is made up of several academic colleges, including the College of Business, College of Education, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harrison College of Fine Arts, College of Health and Human Services, and the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Apart from its academic offerings, SEMO provides a vibrant campus life with numerous extracurricular activities and organizations. These include over 200 student organizations covering a wide range of interests, club sports, intramural sports, and various cultural and recreational programs. The university also hosts events and activities throughout the year, including art exhibits, theatrical performances, music concerts, and community outreach initiatives. With its commitment to academics, experiential learning, and student engagement, SEMO offers a comprehensive educational experience that prepares students for success in their chosen careers.
Located in Cape Girardeau, MO, Southeast Missouri State University is a public comprehensive higher education institution. This educational institution operates on a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 68%. The freshman retention rate at Southeast Missouri State University is 76% and the six-year graduation rate is 58%.
For freshmen, the application deadline for this school is July 1. To find out more about what Southeast Missouri State University has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
7,926
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
58%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
If you discover as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission, your chances of getting accepted will significantly improve. Here are the most relevant facts you have to know about admission policy and requirements at Southeast Missouri State University.
According to the most recent information reported, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 7,767 in 2025. Southeast Missouri State University has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores in cases when they are submitted by the candidate. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 10% and ACT scores 69%. 3% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 23% between 1,200 and 1,399, 45% between 1,000 and 1,199, 25% of the students between 800 and 999, and 3% of the students between 600 and 799. The percent of freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 5, 23 between 24-29, 48 in the range between 18-23, 23 between 12-17, and 0.2 between 6-11.
The latest reported average GPA of the enrolled students was 3.5. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Southeast Missouri State University.
Deadlines
The cutoff date for submitting applications to this school is July 1.
Retention Rate
The percentage of new students at a college or university who stay on for their second year is known as the freshman retention rate. That information can tell you if the majority of new students liked their first year enough to come back.
The freshman retention rate for Southeast Missouri State University was 76% in 2025, demonstrating the exceptional quality of the educational experience at this institution.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This rate shows how many students complete their degrees in a certain number of years. At this academic institution, the proportion of students graduating in six years is 58%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by learning more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution had an enrollment of 9,500 students.
That year, the school had 20.7% of out-of-state students. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the school was 7,926, 514 of which were international students. The number of transfer students at this school was 432.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 2,827 male and 3,882 female full-time students in 2025. This school had 430 full-time graduate male and 391 full-time graduate female students at this school.
Student Population Diversity
When it comes to improving a sense of inclusion and belonging among students, there is no denying the importance of student diversity. A diverse student body brings together individuals from different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
This school had 50 Asian students and 537 Afro-American students in 2025. 207 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 203 as multirace. The school also had 4 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 17 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 392 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to consider before applying to any college or university. Here are some important data on Southeast Missouri State University costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Wondering about tuition at Southeast Missouri State University? Here is what you need to know.
For local residents, public county and municipal institutions reported that tuition costs were $8,850. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $8,850. If you are an international student at Southeast Missouri State University, you should know that the 2025 tuition amounted to $16,320. Full-time students in 2025 needed to pay additional fees in the amount of $1,344.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $8,850 | $1,344 | $10,194 |
| In-State | $8,850 | $1,344 | $10,194 |
Books and Supplies
Another important expense to consider is the estimated price of books and supplies for a college or university. Most students have to allocate about $365 for books and supplies during their time at Southeast Missouri State University.
Boarding
Before you apply to a college or university, you should, among other things, think about the price of a dorm room and cafeteria meals. How much do room and board fees average around at colleges and universities?
In 2025, the price of room and board at Southeast Missouri State University was $11,710 per academic year. If you only wanted a dormitory room, you had to pay $8,150 for the 2025 academic year.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 8,850 |
| Room and Board | $ 11,710 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 365 |
| Total Expense | $ 20,925 |
Financial Aid
Getting some financial support in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for finishing your studies. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based aid you might get at Southeast Missouri State University.
According to the most recent data, 825 freshmen were awarded financial aid. The average financial aid package awarded to students totaled $10,810.
Need-based
Need-based financial aid is exactly what it sounds like — it’s awarded based on the determined financial need.
3,283 students were given some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Southeast Missouri State University is available to international students. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Southeast Missouri State University isn't available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need came to be 3,585. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $14,268,827, and state $4,532,007. The students of Southeast Missouri State University received the -institutional need-based aid in the amount of $8,978,676, and external in the amount of $1,053,966.
$4,794
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Any financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid is considered non-need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 262 students overall (including freshmen) at Southeast Missouri State University in 2025. 76 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $14,268,827 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $471,289. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $7,738,801. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. $703,235 was the amount that the students at this institution got from external sources (like Kiwanis and National Merit).
Open Applications
Find open programs by choosing your preferred academic interest from the list below, and select your desired term start. Get started with your application process and find more information using the Apply button.
Majors
Faculty
5:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
The student-to-faculty ratio can tell you a lot about the teaching resources a school provides for its students.
In 2025, this ratio at Southeast Missouri State University was 5:1. That means that there were 5 times more students than teachers at this school. The total number of faculty teaching at the institution is 461. Out of that number, there were 212 male and 249 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school speaks volumes for gender equality at Southeast Missouri State University.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
It is not all about learning and grades at Southeast Missouri State University: campus life is a crucial component of your educational experience. Find out some info about social life at Southeast Missouri State University.
Its campus spans 400 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
This school has 262 open-membership student organizations you can participate in. Sororities and fraternities are included in that number. 66 percent of male and 14 of female students participate actively in different organizations at Southeast Missouri State University. The student organization that attracts the greatest number of students is SEMO eSports, followed by Campus Outreach and Greek Life. Other popular student organizations at this school are Student Activities Council and Student Government Association.
If you are interested in music, you can join the Southeast Missouri State University band or chorus. For students with a talent for acting, there is a drama club. Interested in media and communication? Southeast Missouri State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
Student Services
Southeast Missouri State University offers a number of services important for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
There are emergency phone and alarm devices available around the clock. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
There is a medical clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs are available to the students of Southeast Missouri State University.
All in all, campus life at Southeast Missouri State University is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Southeast Missouri State University.
Career Counselling
There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. There is campus employer recruitment for all the students.
FAQ
-
Southeast Missouri State University is located in Cape Girardeau, MO.
-
Southeast Missouri State University offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
-
This school has an official test-optional admission policy but makes use of SAT, SAT Subject Tests, ACT, or other standardized test scores in admission decisions for the candidates who choose to submit them.
-
The most recent reported acceptance rate for Southeast Missouri State University is 68%.
-
The most recent reported freshman retention rate for Southeast Missouri State University is 76%.
Contact Information
Southeast Missouri State University
One University Plaza, MS2025
Cape Girardeau , MO
63701
573 651-2000
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
