IU vs. Mississippi State

Should I go to Indiana University Bloomington or Mississippi State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU 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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Indiana University Bloomington vs. Mississippi State University comparison
Indiana University Bloomington Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
Indiana University Bloomington Mississippi State University
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Overview

 IU Mississippi State
Location Bloomington, IN Mississippi State, MS
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 47,527 22,657
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #209 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iub.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 IU Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $10,312 $9,665
Tuition (Out of State) $39,004 $26,430
Room & Board $13,380 $12,293
Avg Net Price $16,282 $16,480
Avg Grant Aid $9,857 $13,532
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 96%

Admission

 IU Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,279 20,877
Admitted 43,624 15,934
Acceptance Rate 80.4% 76.3%
Enrolled % 21.9% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.74 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 27/32 21/29
SAT Range 1170/1400 1110/1410
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, 2026

Academics

 IU Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 IU Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 72% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,200 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $232 $240

Diversity

 IU Mississippi State
% Men 12% 9%
% Women 11% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 72%
% Black 4% 20%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 IU Mississippi State
% In-State 54% 55%
% Out-of-State 41% 43%

Campus

 IU 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

  • Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 22,657 students)

IU vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU or Mississippi State?

  • Indiana University Bloomington is 6.7% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($10,312.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.6% higher at IU than Mississippi State University ($39,004.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than Mississippi State ($16,282 vs. $16,480)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 8.8% lower than costs at Indiana University Bloomington ($12,293 vs. $13,380)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Indiana University Bloomington (96% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 37.3% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($13,532 vs. $9,857)

IU vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Indiana University Bloomington (1199) is 59 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming IU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (80.4%) than Mississippi State (76.3%)

IU vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU 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 IU.

  • The graduation rate at IU is higher than Mississippi State University (72% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Indiana University Bloomington earn on average $8,700 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($56,200 vs. $47,500)
  • Indiana University Bloomington students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,250)
  • IU graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($232 vs. $240)
  • More IU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 63%)

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