ISU vs. Mississippi State

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

Iowa Michigan State Purdue Ole Miss Nebraska UIC Minnesota UNI Illinois ASU IU Auburn
Iowa State University vs. Mississippi State University comparison
Iowa State University Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
Iowa State University Mississippi State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 ISU Mississippi State
Location Ames, IA Mississippi State, MS
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 29,969 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $25,294
Room & Board $9,358 $10,964
Avg Net Price $15,310 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 98%

Admission

 ISU Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 18,830
Admitted 19,776 14,158
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 75.2%
Enrolled % 29% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/29
SAT Range 1090/1350 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

 ISU Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 ISU Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 68% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $246 $240

Diversity

 ISU Mississippi State
% Men 55% 49%
% Women 45% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 72%
% Black 3% 20%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 ISU Mississippi State
% In-State 52% 59%
% Out-of-State 45% 40%

Campus

 ISU 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

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 22,649 students)

ISU vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Mississippi State?

  • Mississippi State University is 6.6% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($9,248.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Mississippi State than Iowa State University ($25,294.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Mississippi State ($15,310 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 17.2% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($9,358 vs. $10,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Iowa State University (98% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 29.1% larger than aid received Iowa State University ($14,252 vs. $11,043)

ISU vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 2 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming ISU students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

ISU vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Mississippi State University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $6,200 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $47,500)
  • Mississippi State University students graduate with a $618 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,868)
  • Mississippi State graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($240 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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