R1 ResearchPublicLand-grantMedical

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, Mississippi·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·msstate.edu
6-yr Graduation
67%
+9.5pp vs R1 Research
Total enrollment
23,150
peer median 22,028
Avg net price
$17,595
+$1.5k vs R1 Research
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Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
23,346
23,346 candidates competed
Admitted
18,125
77.6% acceptance rate
Enrolled
3,596
19.8% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
67%+9.5pp vs R1 Research
4-year graduation
46%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
67%
Full-time retention
83%

Pell equity

24.4pp gap
Pell recipients
50%556 of 1116
Non-Pell (all)
74%1808 of 2430
Subsidized loan, no Pell
63%327 of 515
No Federal Aid
77%1481 of 1915

Non-Pell students graduate at a 24.4-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 190 Title IV programs, 60 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 130 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
190
Passing
60
31.6% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
0
0.0% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.0%
-0.6pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

190programs
  • Passing60 · 31.6%
  • No Data130 · 68.4%
  • Failing0 · 0.0%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
0
At Risk
0
Watch
6
Safe
54
No data
130

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

60
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+10.3%
$46,167 vs $41,864
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
+18.0%
$35,877 vs $30,408
History
Bachelor Degree · History
+20.4%
$36,614 vs $30,408
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
Bachelor Degree · Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, And Related Sciences
+20.4%
$36,617 vs $30,408
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
+23.8%
$37,656 vs $30,408
Nutrition Sciences
Master's Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
+24.2%
$57,622 vs $46,411
Sports Kinesiology and Physical Education/Fitness
Master's Degree · Parks, Recreation, Leisure, And Fitness Studies
+26.1%
$51,427 vs $40,791
Visual and Performing Arts General
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
+28.1%
$38,939 vs $30,408

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

50
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
76%
$44,000 debt · $58,226 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
73%
$33,646 debt · $46,167 earn
Visual and Performing Arts General
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
73%
$28,250 debt · $38,939 earn
Social Work
Bachelor Degree · Public Administration And Social Service Professions
66%
$25,000 debt · $37,656 earn
English Language and Literature General
Bachelor Degree · English Language And Literature/Letters
60%
$21,630 debt · $35,877 earn
Human Development Family Studies and Related Services
Bachelor Degree · Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
60%
$25,000 debt · $41,439 earn
Psychology General
Bachelor Degree · Psychology
58%
$24,500 debt · $41,986 earn
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies Other
Bachelor Degree · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
57%
$24,136 debt · $42,399 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1926Next review Jun 2030

Programmatic accreditations · 13

Action history · 20

  1. Aug 2025Grant Substantive Change: Program
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  2. Jul 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics · Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship
  3. Dec 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  4. Oct 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · Clinical Psychology (CLPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
  5. Oct 2024Renewal of Accreditation
    American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$14,332
$30–48k$14,372
$48–75k$18,671
$75–110k$20,704
$110k+$22,987

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$17,595
+$1,479vs R1 Research median $16,117
Federal loans
38.7%
In-state tuition
$10,202
Out-of-state
$27,637

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 6,620 students received $39.5M in Pell grants, alongside $122.0M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
6,620
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$39.5M
$39,456,402 total
Direct Loans
$122.0M
15,523 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

6k
20
6k
21
6k
22
6k
23
7k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$23.0M
5,493 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$25.2M
6,399 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$33.7M
1,635 loan awards
Parent PLUS$27.3M
1,448 loan awards
Grad PLUS$12.8M
548 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 4,143 borrowers who entered repayment, 84 (2.0%) defaulted within three years below the 2.3% national rate.

Default rate
2.0%
-0.3pp vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
4,143
Defaulted
84
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
7.6%
2017
8.3%
2018
6.4%
2019
2.0%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at Mississippi State

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs120
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

4,806 total completions
01Business
1,14323.8%
02Engineering
95920.0%
03Education
59512.4%
04Agriculture
4288.9%
05Multi/Interdisciplinary
3727.7%
06Psychology
3627.5%
07Biological Sciences
2966.2%
08Parks/Recreation
2715.6%
09Physical Sciences
2064.3%
10Social Sciences
1743.6%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
23,150
12-mo unduplicated
25,545
Undergraduate
20,101
Graduate
5,444

Gender split

Men
48%12,308
Women
52%13,237

Race / ethnicity composition

White
72.5%
Black
15.8%
Hispanic
4.6%
Two or more
2.8%
Asian
1.7%
Non-resident
1.3%
Unknown
0.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.0%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
386
221 M · 165 W
Women athletes
42.7%
Athletic aid
$11.4M
Total student aid
Budget
$157.3M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$6.8M
$4.6M
Recruiting expense
$2.3M
$862K
Head-coach salaries
$1.8M
$313K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 9

Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
57 M · 99 W
$6.0M
Football
110 M ·
$37.6M
Basketball
18 M · 26 W
$18.5M
Baseball
41 M ·
$7.6M
Soccer
· 41 W
$3.1M
Softball
· 22 W
$3.3M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
0.93
21 offenses · 22,657 students

3-year trend

1.042 yrs ago1.371 yr ago0.93Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
76
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
67
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
1

Criminal offenses by type

Fondling
9
Rape
7
Motor vehicle theft
4
Burglary
1

By location

21total
  • On campus21

Includes 4 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

0
Domestic violence
8
Dating violence
7
Stalking
15 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons52
Drugs927
Liquor1587

Residence-hall fires

No residence-hall fires reported.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
16.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
1,045

Mississippi State vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions Mississippi State selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectMississippi State University
67%23,150$17,595R1 Research
72%96.6%26,449$13,314R1 Research
49%99.1%13,170$21,708R1 Research
51%72.0%20,276$12,397R1 Research
64%88.2%20,905$18,749R1 Research
46%90.4%23,743$14,638R1 Research
Peer group median57%90.4%22,028$16,117

Institutions like Mississippi State

Explore the federal data for institutions in Mississippi State's comparison group.

Mississippi State Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Office
Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness

The page for Mississippi State University's Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness on Scholars Junction allows browsing of various collections related to accreditation, enrollment data, and profiles. It provides links for guides, FAQs, policies, and related services, supported by the Scholarly Communication Team.

Visit IR office page
Team
2 members
  • Stephen Frederic
    Interim Associate Director, Institutional Research
  • Diann Nichols, Ph.D.
    Associate Director, Institutional Effectiveness

Frequently asked questions about Mississippi State University

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about Mississippi State.

What is the graduation rate at Mississippi State University?

Mississippi State University reports a 6-year graduation rate of 67% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend Mississippi State University?

Mississippi State University reports a total enrollment of 23,150 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at Mississippi State University?

The average net price at Mississippi State University is $17,595 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at Mississippi State University?

Mississippi State University's yield rate is 19.8%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is Mississippi State University located?

Mississippi State University is located in Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762.

Who runs Institutional Research at Mississippi State University?

Mississippi State University's IR work is done by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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