BSU vs. Mississippi State

Should I go to Ball State University or Mississippi State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BSU or Mississippi State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Ole Miss Auburn Purdue North Central IU Purdue Indiana State Texas Tech Alabama Memphis IU Northwest IPFW IUPUI
Ball State University vs. Mississippi State University comparison
Ball State University Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
Ball State University Mississippi State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 BSU Mississippi State
Location Muncie, IN Mississippi State, MS
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 19,777 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #547 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bsu.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BSU Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $8,434 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $25,918 $25,294
Room & Board $10,904 $10,964
Avg Net Price $12,615 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $11,418 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 98%

Admission

 BSU Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,859 18,830
Admitted 15,761 14,158
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 75.2%
Enrolled % 22.1% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/28 21/29
SAT Range 1090/1260 1070/1280
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 BSU Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (18%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 BSU Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 55% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $240

Diversity

 BSU Mississippi State
% Men 35% 49%
% Women 65% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 72%
% Black 8% 20%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BSU Mississippi State
% In-State 90% 59%
% Out-of-State 9% 40%

Campus

 BSU Mississippi State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than BSU based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 19,777 students)

BSU vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BSU or Mississippi State?

  • Mississippi State University is 9.7% more expensive to attend than BSU for in-state tuition ($9,248.00 vs. $8,434.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.5% higher at BSU than Mississippi State University ($25,918.00 vs. $25,294.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ball State University than Mississippi State ($12,615 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ball State University are 0.6% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($10,904 vs. $10,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Ball State University (98% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 24.8% larger than aid received Ball State University ($14,252 vs. $11,418)

BSU vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BSU or Mississippi State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Mississippi State or BSU .

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 70 points higher than at BSU (1070)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Mississippi State students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at BSU (3.52)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than BSU (68.9%)

BSU vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BSU or Mississippi State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Mississippi State and BSU.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than Ball State University (60% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $5,000 more per year than BSU graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $42,500)
  • Mississippi State University students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than BSU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • Mississippi State graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than BSU graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More BSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/