Mississippi State acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Mississippi State University · Public · Mississippi State, MS · 18,230 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Mississippi State admitted 76.3% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 64.8% in 2013. Mississippi residents pay $10,604 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $28,736.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 64.8% | 11,191 | 7,254 |
| 2014 | 71.0% | 10,766 | 7,646 |
| 2015 | 65.2% | 12,446 | 8,120 |
| 2016 | 55.7% | 14,012 | 7,801 |
| 2017 | 62.4% | 13,973 | 8,719 |
| 2018 | 56.9% | 17,381 | 9,893 |
| 2019 | 53.9% | 18,340 | 9,878 |
| 2020 | 80.0% | 16,127 | 12,908 |
| 2021 | 76.1% | 17,707 | 13,478 |
| 2022 | 75.2% | 18,830 | 14,158 |
| 2023 | 76.3% | 20,877 | 15,934 |
Applications went from 11,191 in fall 2013 to 20,877 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $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 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $10,604 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $28,736 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $30,713 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $18,781 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 5% submitted the SAT, 84% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Ole Miss MS | 97.8% | $10,150 in-state |
| JMU VA | 76.2% | $14,620 in-state |
| University of Oklahoma OK | 76.5% | $10,181 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Of the 20,877 applications Mississippi State University received for fall 2023, it accepted 15,934, which is 76.3%.1 In fall 2013 the rate was 64.8%, so the increase is 11.5 percentage points.1 The shift happened in a step, from 53.9% in 2019 to 80.0% in 2020, and the rate declined in 6 of the 10 yearly changes.1 Applications grew 87%, from 11,191 to 20,877, while admitted students grew 120%, from 7,254 to 15,934.1
Test scores are optional, and the ACT is far more common here: 84% of enrolled students submitted it and 5% submitted SAT scores.1 ACT composite scores ran from 21 to 29 for the middle 50%, and SAT reading and writing ran from 570 to 690.1
Mississippi residents pay $10,604 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and nonresidents pay $28,736.2 That in-state figure exceeds the median of $9,210 across 8 public bachelor's colleges in Mississippi.2 Net price stays fairly flat across incomes, from $17,042 for the $0 to $30,000 band to $18,211 for $48,001 to $75,000 and $24,032 above $110,000 in 2024-25.2
Of the 2019 entering class, 69% graduated within 6 years, above the state median of 54%.2 The school retained 83% of fall 2023 entrants, and Pell grants went to 33% of undergraduates.2 Median earnings were $54,296 10 years after entry, above the $45,463 state median, and borrowers owed a median of $20,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 20,877 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 15,934 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 3,751 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 18,230 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 570 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 540 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 21 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 29 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 5% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 84% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $10,604 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $28,736 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $30,713 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $18,781 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $17,042 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $15,564 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,211 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,859 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $24,032 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 69% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 83% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 33% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,296 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $20,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Mississippi (N = 8) | $9,210 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Mississippi (N = 15) | 54% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Mississippi (N = 16) | $45,463 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Mississippi State, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page