National university
#3 Best colleges in MississippiMississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $17,595 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,142 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Campus tour
MSU Campus Tour Preview · From the college’s official YouTube channel. Plays from YouTube when you tap it.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#160 of 1,046
- Most affordable colleges with strong academics in America#119 of 690
- Best colleges for social work in America#122 of 605
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#196 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#254 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#372 of 1,563
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In Mississippi
- Best colleges in Mississippi#3 of 16
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Mississippi#3 of 16
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Mississippi#3 of 15
- Best colleges for business in Mississippi#3 of 15
- Best colleges for education in Mississippi#3 of 15
- Best colleges for mathematics in Mississippi#3 of 15
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- Best colleges for chemistry in Mississippi#3 of 14
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Mississippi#3 of 14
- Best colleges for English in Mississippi#3 of 14
- Best colleges for history in Mississippi#3 of 14
- Best colleges for music in Mississippi#3 of 14
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in Mississippi#3 of 13
- Best colleges for psychology in Mississippi#3 of 13
- Best colleges for criminal justice in Mississippi#3 of 12
- Best colleges for accounting in Mississippi#3 of 11
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in Mississippi#3 of 11
- Best colleges for social work in Mississippi#3 of 11
- Best test-optional colleges in Mississippi#3 of 10
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.67%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.83%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,219 · ACT 25
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.16 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$8,632
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $29,267 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 18,230 |
|---|---|
| Men and women Undergraduates, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) | Men 49% · Women 51% |
| First-generation students Share of students who are first-generation, by the College Scorecard’s definition | 25% |
| First-year students from another state Of first-time students whose home is a U.S. state, fall 2023 (IPEDS) | 44% |
| Total students | 22,657 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $17,595 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $29,267 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,142 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 67% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 51% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students Finishing within 6 years (College Scorecard) | 50% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years Borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within 3 years (College Scorecard) | 63% |
| First-year retention | 83% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $51,513 |
| Admission rate | 78% |
| Application fee Undergraduate application fee, 2023–24 (IPEDS) | $40 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 29% |
| Average SAT | 1219 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 560–670 |
| SAT math | 540–680 |
| ACT composite | 21–29 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 43% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Electrical engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Construction Management | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Industrial Engineering | |
| Other engineering | |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | |
| Computer engineering | |
| Computing and information science | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Industrial technology | |
| Agricultural business | |
| Management information systems | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Accounting | |
| Finance | |
| Mathematics | |
| Architecture | |
| Agricultural Production Operations | |
| Geology and earth science | |
| Interior Architecture | |
| Marketing | |
| Forestry | |
| Business administration | |
| Political science | |
| Animal Sciences | |
| Biology | |
| Plant Sciences | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Clinical and counseling psychology | |
| Secondary education | |
| Criminology | |
| Communication studies | |
| Apparel and Textiles | |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | |
| Biochemistry | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Psychology | |
| Special education | |
| Liberal arts | |
| Family and human development | |
| Teacher education | |
| Food Science and Technology | |
| Visual and performing arts | |
| Social work | |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | |
| History | |
| English |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Anthropology, Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services, Applied mathematics, Architectural Sciences and Technology, Biological and physical sciences, Biological/Biosystems Engineering, Botany/Plant Biology, Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Culinary arts, Curriculum and instruction, Data Science, Economics, Education (general), Educational leadership, Engineering (general), Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy, Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General studies, Health administration, Information technology, Instructional design, Landscape Architecture, Linguistics, Managerial economics, Microbiological Sciences and Immunology, Music, Natural resources and conservation, Nutrition Sciences, Petroleum Engineering, Philosophy, Physics, Public administration, School counseling, Sociology, Statistics, Taxation, Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Engineering | |
| Interdisciplinary studies | |
| Education | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| Setting | Town |
|---|---|
| Part-time undergraduates | 8% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 8% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $12,902 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Southeastern Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 83%Of instructional faculty, fall 2023 (College Scorecard) |
| Endowment per student | $34,919Endowment at the end of fiscal year 2023, per full-time-equivalent student (IPEDS) |
| Dorm space | For about 29% of studentsCampus beds divided by undergraduate enrollment. Not how many students live on campus (IPEDS) |
| Nearest airport with scheduled flights | Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR)About 11 miles away in a straight line (OurAirports) |
| Town population | 4,6552020–2024 five-year estimate (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MemphisAbout 133 miles away in a straight line (U.S. Census Bureau) |
| Average temperature in January | 44°F1991–2020 normal, from STATE UNIV, MS US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
| Average temperature in July | 82°F1991–2020 normal, from STATE UNIV, MS US, about 1 miles away (NOAA) |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.15 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.09 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Mississippi State University’s Compass Score?
- Very good (grade B+). It ranks in the top 28% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Mississippi State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $17,595 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Mississippi State University?
- Mississippi State University admitted 78% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Mississippi State University’s graduates do?
- 67% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $51,513; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,142.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 176080
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Mississippi State vs Ohio · Mississippi State vs University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus · Mississippi State vs Oklahoma State · Mississippi State vs University of Missouri-Columbia
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