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Columbus, MS · Mississippi State, MS
| Mississippi University for Women | Mississippi State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $12,411/yr | $17,595/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $10,676/yr | $14,332/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $15,000 | $22,142 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $10,434/yr | $14,372/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $13,037/yr | $18,671/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $17,060/yr | $20,704/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $19,285/yr | $22,987/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $159/mo | $235/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $8,572/yr | $12,902/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $8,500/yr | $13,187/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,600/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,800/yr | $6,409/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $22,225/yr | $29,267/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,492/yr | $10,202/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $8,492/yr | $27,637/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 40% | 29% |
| Students taking federal loans | 41% | 39% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 90% | 78% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | No data reported | 1100–1350 |
| SAT average | 1090 | 1219 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 17–24 | 21–29 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 16–23 · Math 16–23 | English 21–30 · Math 19–27 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 553 | 20,877 |
| Students accepted | 553 | 15,934 |
| Students who enrolled | 159 | 3,751 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 29% | 24% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 3% | 5% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 94% | 84% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Not considered | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Not considered |
| Class rank | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 47% | 67% |
| Freshmen who come back | 67% | 83% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $46,128/yr | $51,513/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $30,451–$71,918 | $33,648–$77,474 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 64% | 64% |
| White students graduating | 48% | 72% |
| Black students graduating | 46% | 48% |
| Hispanic students graduating | No data reported | 63% |
| Asian students graduating | 100% | 73% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $47,458/yr | $43,487/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 64% | 75% |
| Graduate on time | 33% | 46% |
| Pell students who graduate | 41% | 50% |
| First-gen students who finish | 57% | 50% |
| Low-income students who finish | 48% | 45% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $44,664/yr | $46,795/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 64% · Business, Management & Marketing 13% · Education 4% | Business, Management & Marketing 19% · Engineering 18% · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies 8% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 64% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 19% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 13% of degrees | Engineering — 18% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Education — 4% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 8% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 3% of degrees | Education — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 2% of degrees | Psychology — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $100,323/yr | Veterinary Medicine — $98,378/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 2.1% | 31% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,605 | 18,397 |
| Students per professor | 10 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 231 | 4,583 |
| Average professor pay | $6,855/mo | $10,100/mo |
| Full-time professors | 68% | 83% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $28,585 | $38,988 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | Town (remote) |
| Location | Columbus, MS | Mississippi State, MS |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1884 | 1878 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.8% | 1.3% |
| Men | 20% | 49% |
| Women | 80% | 51% |
| White students | 53% | 73% |
| Black students | 41% | 16% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 1.5% | 4.6% |
| Asian students | 0.9% | 1.7% |
| Two or more races | 1.6% | 2.8% |
| Other / not reported | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 37% | 25% |
| Part-time students | 9.9% | 8.3% |
| Students age 25+ | 22% | 7.5% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,301/yr | $8,632/yr |
| Endowment | $71.9M | $894.7M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 644 | 5,333 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $4,712/yr | $7,238/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $3,675/yr | $4,586/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | No | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division III without football | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | No | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 13 | 13 |
| Student athletes | 231 | 386 |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | $11.4M |
| Athletics budget | $2.4M | $157.3M |
| Athletics revenue | $2.7M | $157.3M |
| Recruiting spend | $11,000 | $3.2M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.