Quad

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MSQuad's selectivitySelective
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Mississippi State admits about 8 in 10 applicants (78%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 49% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

78%

78%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

23,346

Admitted

18,125

Yield

20%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1100–1350

10001600
ACT middle 50%

21–29

1836
Applications +117% since fall 2014 · admit rate 71% → 78%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 18,397 undergrads, where 29% receive Pell Grants, a typical share compared to other colleges.

18.4K

undergrads · larger than 94% of colleges

Diversity index

0.44

Pell Grant

29%

below the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Remote townNCAA D-I FBS · Southeastern ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
Steady · index 0.44 → 0.44 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (8% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 83% of faculty are full-time. Spends $8,632 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 72% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

8% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering

$106K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

83%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$8.6K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $23,737 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), about the national median. The 96% who received grants paid $18,478 on average; the other 4% paid the full sticker price of $29,454 in-state / $46,219 out-of-state.

36%

$23.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · about the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$29,454 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 36% of full price

Federal loans

39%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost steady · +4% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $51,513 ten years after enrolling, more than at 42% of colleges; 63% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.8 years of that salary.

63%

63%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$51.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.1K

≈ $235/month for 10 years

Retention

83%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 60% → 67% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 10% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 4%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 117% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 71% to 78%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    +4% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +117%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 71% → 78%

  • Diversity

    Steady

    index 0.44 → 0.44

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

78% admit · SAT 1190 · 14.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

Idaho State University

7.6K undergrads

Also public
Compare side-by-side

Southern Utah University

82% admit · 9.3K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of Rhode Island

75% admit · SAT 1193 · 13.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Mississippi State University (2026)

    Mississippi State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 176080 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything