Northwest ranks high in new Open Doors Report, awarded Seal of Excellence

Northwest Missouri State University is among the top destinations in the United States for international students seeking higher education, according to a new national report. 

The 2024 Open Doors Report, a leading benchmark for international educational exchange in the U.S., ranks Northwest at No. 14 – up from No. 16 in last year’s report – among the nation’s master’s colleges and universities, a classification of higher education institutions that award at least 50 master’s degrees and fewer than 20 doctoral degrees.

Additionally, Northwest has been awarded the Open Doors 75 Seal of Excellence in commemoration of 75 years since the Open Doors Report was published for the first time. Northwest has reported to Open Doors since 1949, when it enrolled just eight international students, and is one of 600 institutions to receive the 75 Seal of Excellence.

“This recognition is one of many examples of the Northwest commitment to international education,” Thomas Merlot, the director of Northwest’s International Involvement Center, said. “This recognition serves as inspiration and motivation for years to come.”

Merlot added, “The Open Doors 75 Seal of Excellence also comes with a certain level of standard and expectations. The International Involvement Center is committed to accompanying international students at every step of the way, and this recognition would not be possible without the support of the campus community. Speaking from experience, being an international student has unique challenges, but our staff, faculty and students play a key role in the success of international students.”

The 2024 Open Doors Report shows Northwest enrolled a total of 1,742 international students during the 2023-24 academic year. The total represents a 36 percent increase from the prior year as the University also achieved a record international student enrollment in 2023-24.

The annual Open Doors Report is published by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and Institute of International Education (IIE). It surveyed nearly 3,000 U.S. higher education institutions and counted international students who are studying in the U.S. or participating in optional practical training (OPT) to gain work experience in their field of study.

Nationally, the total number of international students reached an all-time high last year of more than 1.1 million international students, a 7 percent increase from the previous academic year, according to the Open Doors Report.   

IIE has conducted an annual census of international students at U.S. universities since 1919. Published since 1949 and supported by the U.S. Department of State since 1972, the Open Doors project provides detailed data on student flows into and out of the U.S. For more information, visit www.opendoorsdata.org.

About Northwest Missouri State University

Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their University experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor’s degree earners and 99 percent of master’s degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data. 

Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitively low tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University’s vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, which saves students an estimated $6,800 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program. 

For more information about Northwest, visit r8l.suzhuan-sh.com/aboutus/facts/.