Mississippi State University
Starkville, Mississippi · Public, a remote town · 18,397 undergraduates
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Is it hard to get into Miss State?
The middle half of admitted students scored in these ranges: a quarter scored lower, a quarter higher. Fall 2024 admissions, from the College Scorecard.
Acceptance rate
77.6%
20,877 applied
SAT, middle half
1100 to 1350
Reading plus math, out of 1600
ACT, middle half
21 to 29
Composite, out of 36
Test scores this year
Optional: considered if sent
Scores required for home-schooled applicants, applicants from schools without regional accreditation and applicants who have not completed high school; non-residents below a 2.50 GPA need an ACT or SAT score of 20 or above.
- What they look at
- High school GPARequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Courses takenRequired
- College-prep programRequired
How much does Miss State cost?
Sticker prices and what students actually paid after grants, by family income. A year means tuition, fees, room, board, books and other costs.
Tuition and fees, Mississippi residents
$10,604
Tuition and fees, out of state
$28,736
A full year, sticker price
$30,713
Living on campus
Average price after grants
$18,781
Students who got federal aid
What a year cost, by family income
| Family income | Average paid after grants |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $17,042 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,564 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,211 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,859 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,032 |
- Room and board on campus
- $13,514 a year; $13,870 off campus
- Books and supplies
- $1,200 a year
- The school's own grants
- 93% of full-time first-years get one, averaging $11,086
Tuition over the years
Tuition and fees for a year, as reported to the federal government.
How much do Miss State students borrow?
Federal student loans only, for students who borrowed.
Typical debt at graduation
$20,500
About $233 a month over ten years
Students who borrow
37.9%
Get a Pell Grant
33.3%
Federal grant for lower-income families
Over 25 when they start
7.5%
What do Miss State graduates earn?
Typical yearly pay of everyone who started here with federal aid, whatever they studied and whether or not they finished.
Six years after starting
$47,470
Ten years after starting
$54,296
Middle half: $36,557 to $82,234
Best-paid program, five years out
$105,130
Chemical Engineering
Lowest-paid program, five years out
$35,961
History
Do Miss State students finish?
Of the students who started full time, first time.
Back for second year
82.5%
Graduate in six years
68.6%
The four-year figure is for a later, smaller group, so it is not shown
After eight years
64% graduated
23% transferred, 0% still enrolled
Who goes to Miss State?
Women
50.8%
First in their family at college
24.9%
Part-time
8.3%
Students per teacher
16
- Background
- White 73%, Hispanic 5%, Black 16%, Asian 2%, Two or more 3%, International 1%
- Housing
- Campus housing, 5,333 beds
What do Miss State graduates earn, by program?
Every bachelor's program the school awards, with what its graduates earn and owe. The government hides pay for small programs, so some rows have no figure.
Computer science
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | 202 | $65,393 | $89,495 | $20,500 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | 8 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Engineering
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | 132 | $72,167 | $91,998 | $21,500 |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 3 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | 113 | $64,138 | $73,851 | $21,250 |
| Chemical Engineering | 138 | $81,884 | $105,130 | $21,500 |
| Civil Engineering | 225 | $65,781 | $86,798 | $21,500 |
| Computer Engineering | 57 | $72,203 | Hidden | $22,950 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 168 | $81,976 | $98,756 | $22,500 |
| Engineering, Other | 78 | $66,007 | $98,042 | $20,500 |
| Industrial Engineering | 135 | $70,572 | $92,441 | $21,750 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | 157 | $66,172 | $80,899 | $22,500 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 369 | $76,930 | $101,128 | $18,750 |
| Petroleum Engineering | 25 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Business and commerce
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 220 | $48,316 | $75,915 | $17,665 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 814 | $46,362 | $60,191 | $19,500 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | 26 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Construction Management | 0 | $74,803 | $100,161 | $26,292 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 210 | $53,927 | $68,765 | $20,250 |
| Management Information Systems and Services | 85 | $54,426 | $83,895 | $22,500 |
| Marketing | 382 | $50,680 | $65,233 | $20,875 |
Health sciences and kinesiology
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 22 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 2 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 511 | $34,166 | $58,439 | $21,500 |
Life sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business and Management | 73 | $47,637 | $65,513 | $20,500 |
| Agricultural Production Operations | 51 | $54,023 | $70,214 | $20,375 |
| Animal Sciences | 197 | $35,740 | $61,111 | $23,531 |
| Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services | 32 | Hidden | Hidden | $21,500 |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 177 | $35,421 | $68,326 | $21,693 |
| Biology, General | 262 | $26,160 | $56,403 | $21,500 |
| Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Food Science and Technology | 74 | Hidden | Hidden | $19,500 |
| Forestry | 68 | $50,109 | $61,542 | $15,500 |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 70 | Hidden | $66,520 | $21,658 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 49 | Hidden | Hidden | $20,500 |
| Plant Sciences | 77 | $42,984 | $50,846 | $19,688 |
| Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians | 46 | $33,438 | Hidden | $21,000 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 111 | $30,806 | $48,562 | $20,719 |
Math and physical sciences
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 20 | Hidden | $58,916 | Hidden |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 149 | $51,776 | $64,554 | $22,979 |
| Mathematics | 71 | Hidden | $55,917 | $25,250 |
| Physics | 13 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Arts and humanities
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language and Literature, General | 44 | Hidden | $37,817 | $24,500 |
| History | 75 | $24,975 | $35,961 | $23,250 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | 58 | $55,074 | $60,124 | $26,958 |
| Philosophy | 20 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Education (teaching)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 41 | $46,439 | Hidden | $26,410 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 46 | $42,712 | $44,894 | $22,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 536 | $40,856 | $41,183 | $19,688 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 79 | $42,393 | $51,373 | $21,443 |
Fine and performing arts
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music | 15 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | 94 | $32,497 | $42,895 | $27,000 |
Architecture and design
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 80 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Architecture | 86 | $58,190 | $74,634 | $30,737 |
| Interior Architecture | 55 | $49,575 | Hidden | $26,820 |
| Landscape Architecture | 0 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
General arts and science (major chosen later)
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological and Physical Sciences | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Data Science | 1 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 123 | $38,108 | Hidden | $23,273 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 162 | $49,043 | Hidden | $22,000 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 460 | $36,008 | $45,236 | $21,500 |
Other programs
| Program | Graduates | Pay, one year out | Pay, five years out | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | 4 | Hidden | Hidden | Hidden |
Compare Miss State with other universities
Side by side: acceptance rates, scores, costs and pay.
Where these numbers come from
College Scorecard release 10152026, Most Recent Cohorts files, fetched 2026-10-20. Test policy: the school's page (opens in a new tab). Tuition history, housing and the school's own grants: the federal IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) survey.
How every figure in this part of the site is sourced, and the check of every link.
Careerhelp is not affiliated with Mississippi State University. Figures describe past students; check the school's own pages before you apply.
Social sciences