Springfield, MOprivate nonprofitcoxcollege.edu
Admit rate has ranged 33%–100% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Cox College is a small, intensely focused health sciences institution in Springfield, Missouri, that operates with the precision and mission-driven ethos of a professional training ground. Its identity is singular: an 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, a curriculum laser-focused on nursing and allied health, and a reported 100% graduation rate that speaks to its structured, supportive path from admission to licensure. This isn't a traditional liberal arts campus; it's a direct pipeline into the healthcare workforce, where the vibe is less about football games and more about mastering clinical skills.
Test scores required
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Compare on earnings: best colleges for Nursing
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Cox College maintains an open-access admissions policy, with a reported 100% for its most recent applicant pool. The process is less about competitive gatekeeping and more about assessing a candidate's readiness for its rigorous, accelerated health sciences programs. While some sources report an acceptance rate of 71.4%, the most recent data indicates a 100% rate, classifying it as a less selective institution. Standardized test scores (SAT/ACT) are required for admission, with typical admitted student score ranges reported between 780-1140 for the SAT and 14-23 for the ACT. The college does not offer an Early Decision program, a common feature at highly selective liberal arts colleges but less relevant for a mission-focused professional school. The concept of 'demonstrated interest'—tracking campus visits or communications—is a factor highlighted in the (Section C7) for many colleges, but its specific consideration at Cox is not detailed in the provided sources. The admissions philosophy appears geared toward identifying students prepared for the demands of its evidence-based, technology-forward curriculum.
Academic life at Cox College is defined by an unswerving focus on health professions. The college offers just seven majors, with Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse programs dominating the landscape—accounting for 145 out of 159 first majors reported in one data set, a staggering 91% share. Other programs include Radiologic Technician and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment professions. This hyper-specialization creates an environment where every resource, conversation, and campus facility is oriented toward healthcare education.
The student-to-faculty ratio is an exceptionally low 8:1, ensuring intensive, personalized instruction crucial for clinical skill development. The college's stated mission is to provide "an educational experience utilizing cutting-edge technology and evidence-based curriculum" aimed at "the highest quality" of care. The catalog emphasizes preparing students for "life-changing careers" as ASN, BSN, or MSN nurses, mastering the decision-making processes required in modern healthcare. There is no mention of broad liberal arts distribution requirements; the academic model is a direct, professional training pathway.
Student life revolves around the shared, demanding experience of health sciences training. The campus community is small and close-knit, supported by a dedicated Student Resource Center (SRC) that provides support for "academics and personal and social development." The college fosters a culture of mutual respect, stating a commitment "to maintaining a community that values the worth and dignity of every person."
Social media depictions show students celebrating graduation surrounded by "friends, family, faculty, and mentors," highlighting the culmination of intense work. As a specialized college without traditional dorms or a broad athletics program, the social fabric is built around cohort-based learning, study groups, and the shared goal of entering the medical field. The environment is professional and supportive, designed to help students persist through a challenging curriculum.
Outcomes are the unequivocal strength of the Cox College model. The institution reports a 100% six-year graduation rate, an extraordinary figure that underscores its structured, supportive pathway. For the 2024-2025 graduating class, 93% of graduates were employed full- or part-time, continuing their education, serving in the military, or performing volunteer service within six months of graduation.
Earnings data shows strong returns for graduates. One source reports median earnings of approximately $60,046, while another cites a median income of about $55,452. A comparison shows graduates from Cox College earn on average $1,100 more per year than graduates from a peer institution ten years after entry. The high graduation rate combined with strong employment and earnings outcomes paints a picture of a highly effective vocational pipeline.
Cox College provides tools and support for students to navigate educational costs, though it does not advertise a 'no-loan' policy or a guarantee to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need—policies more common at wealthy liberal arts colleges with large endowments. The college's Financial Aid department is "committed to assisting students... in finding resources to finance your education" and emphasizes student loan default prevention.
Prospective students are directed to a Calculator to estimate their individual cost. Published data indicates the average aid package is $4,789, and the average net price—the out-of-pocket cost after grants and scholarships—is $17,490 per year. The net price is defined as the total minus the grants and scholarships a student receives.
Cox College stands out as a pure-play health sciences institution that measures success not by selectivity, but by completion and employment. In a higher education landscape obsessed with low admission rates, Cox flips the script: it accepts all qualified applicants and then deploys an 8:1 student-faculty ratio and a supportive community to ensure they all cross the finish line. The reported 100% graduation rate is its most compelling statistic, a testament to a model built for efficacy, not exclusivity.
Its identity is refreshingly clear-cut. There's no identity crisis between liberal arts and pre-professional training; every class, every resource, and every peer is focused on entering the healthcare field. This creates a cohesive, purpose-driven culture where students are immersed in their future profession from day one. For a student certain of a career in nursing or radiologic technology, Cox offers a direct, high-touch, and outcomes-focused route—a stark contrast to the often-meandering paths through larger universities.