Colorado State vs. Mississippi State

Should I go to Colorado State University Fort Collins or Mississippi State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Colorado State 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.

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Colorado State University Fort Collins vs. Mississippi State University comparison
Colorado State University Fort Collins Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
Colorado State University Fort Collins Mississippi State University
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Overview

Colorado State Mississippi State
Location Fort Collins, CO Mississippi State, MS
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 33,500 22,657
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #357 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colostate.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Colorado State Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $10,186 $9,665
Tuition (Out of State) $31,041 $26,430
Room & Board $15,606 $12,293
Avg Net Price $19,828 $16,480
Avg Grant Aid $10,554 $13,532
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 96%

Admission

Colorado State Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 36,612 20,877
Admitted 32,801 15,934
Acceptance Rate 89.6% 76.3%
Enrolled % 16.1% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/29
SAT Range 1080/1290 1110/1410
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Colorado State Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Colorado State Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 64% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,800 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,004 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $217 $240

Diversity

Colorado State Mississippi State
% Men 10% 9%
% Women 13% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 72%
% Black 2% 20%
% Hispanic 11% 2%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

Colorado State Mississippi State
% In-State 65% 55%
% Out-of-State 34% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (33,500 students vs. 22,657 students)

Colorado State vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Colorado State or Mississippi State?

  • Colorado State University Fort Collins is 5.4% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($10,186.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.4% higher at Colorado State than Mississippi State University ($31,041.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Colorado State ($16,480 vs. $19,828)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 27% lower than costs at Colorado State University Fort Collins ($12,293 vs. $15,606)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Colorado State University Fort Collins (96% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 28.2% larger than aid received Colorado State University Fort Collins ($13,532 vs. $10,554)

Colorado State vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Colorado State University Fort Collins (1145) is 5 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Colorado State students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado State students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (89.6%) than Mississippi State (76.3%)

Colorado State vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Colorado State 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 Colorado State.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado State is higher than Mississippi State University (64% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins earn on average $4,300 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($51,800 vs. $47,500)
  • Colorado State University Fort Collins students graduate with a $2,246 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($21,004 vs. $23,250)
  • Colorado State graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($217 vs. $240)
  • More Colorado State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 63%)

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