Northwest Missouri State University is located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 11,000 with a diverse economy, and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri and 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri. Northwest is a traditional resident-based campus with total enrollment over 6,000 students. Northwest, the recent winner of three Missouri Quality Awards, is a teaching-focused institution requiring a twelve-hour teaching load per trimester.