Mississippi State University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
University, Mississippi · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Mississippi State University is a public institution located in University, Mississippi. For the most recent reporting cycle, Mississippi State University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 98%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1187 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,164 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Mississippi State University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Mississippi State University?
Mississippi State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Mississippi State University weight in admissions?
Mississippi State University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Mississippi State University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 510–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 568. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–29. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1000 |
| 50th percentile | 1090 |
| 75th percentile | 1200 |
| % submitting SAT | 22.8% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 25 |
| 75th percentile | 29 |
| % submitting ACT | 60.3% |
- • Tests required: Standardized test scores are part of the standard application package.
- • Policy detail: Required for some
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 22% |
| Top 25% of class | 44% |
| Top 50% of class | 71% |
| % submitting class rank | 35% |
How much does Mississippi State University actually cost?
Published tuition is $9,412 for in-state students and $26,980 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,040 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,164 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $9,612 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $28,440 |
| Room and board | $12,600 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $13,164 |
| Application fee | $75 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Mississippi State University
| Notification date | Rolling beginning 8/1 |
| Reply deadline | No set date |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Mississippi State University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Other colleges in Mississippi parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Mississippi State University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Mississippi State University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Mississippi State University
What GPA do I need for Mississippi State University?
Mississippi State University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Mississippi State University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 510–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 568. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–29.
How much does Mississippi State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Mississippi State University after grants and scholarships is $13,164 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Mississippi State University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Mississippi State University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Mississippi State University, and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.