Mississippi State vs. Penn State

Deciding between Mississippi State University and Penn State Main Campus? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Mississippi State University
Penn State Main Campus

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Mississippi State Mississippi State, MS
  • Penn State University Park, PA
  • Setting
  • Mississippi State Rural Fringe
  • Penn State Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Mississippi State 23,150
  • Penn State 50,737
  • Type
  • Mississippi State Public 4 Year
  • Penn State Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Mississippi State #489
  • Penn State #185
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Mississippi State -
  • Penn State -
  • Status
  • Mississippi State Non-profit
  • Penn State Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Mississippi State
  • Penn State

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Mississippi State $10,202
  • Penn State $20,644
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Mississippi State $27,637
  • Penn State $41,790
  • Room & Board
  • Mississippi State $12,902
  • Penn State $14,474
  • Average Net Price
  • Mississippi State $18,478
  • Penn State $27,889
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Mississippi State $13,852
  • Penn State $11,336
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Mississippi State 96%
  • Penn State 37%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Mississippi State 23,346
  • Penn State 88,478
  • Admitted
  • Mississippi State 18,125
  • Penn State 53,579
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Mississippi State 77.6%
  • Penn State 60.6%
  • Enrolled
  • Mississippi State 19.8%
  • Penn State 17.1%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Mississippi State 1230
  • Penn State 1330
  • Typical ACT score
  • Mississippi State 25
  • Penn State 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • Mississippi State 3.58
  • Penn State -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Mississippi State A-
  • Penn State -
  • Admissions Standards
  • Mississippi State Difficult
  • Penn State Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • Mississippi State
  • Penn State Low
  • ACT Range
  • Mississippi State 21/29
  • Penn State 27/32
  • SAT Range
  • Mississippi State 1100/1350
  • Penn State 1240/1420
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Mississippi State Test optional
  • Penn State Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Mississippi State Aug 1, 2027
  • Penn State

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Mississippi State 16:1
  • Penn State 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Mississippi State
    • Business (23%)
    • Education (17%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • General Studies (6%)
    • Psychology (6%)
  • Penn State
    • Business (16%)
    • Engineering (12%)
    • Communication (9%)
    • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
    • Social Sciences (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Mississippi State 60%
  • Penn State 87%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Mississippi State $47,500
  • Penn State $55,300
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Mississippi State 63%
  • Penn State 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Mississippi State $23,250
  • Penn State $26,818
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Mississippi State $240
  • Penn State $277

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Mississippi State 48%
  • Penn State 52%
  • % Women
  • Mississippi State 52%
  • Penn State 48%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Mississippi State Low
  • Penn State Medium
  • HBCU
  • Mississippi State No
  • Penn State No
  • % White
  • Mississippi State 72%
  • Penn State 69%
  • % Asian
  • Mississippi State 1%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Black
  • Mississippi State 20%
  • Penn State 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • Mississippi State 2%
  • Penn State 6%
  • % Native American
  • Mississippi State 1%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Mississippi State 0%
  • Penn State 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Mississippi State 2%
  • Penn State 3%
  • % International
  • Mississippi State 1%
  • Penn State 11%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Mississippi State 1%
  • Penn State 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Mississippi State 56%
  • Penn State 53%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Mississippi State 43%
  • Penn State 40%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Mississippi State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Mississippi State No
  • Penn State Yes
  • Meal Plan
  • Mississippi State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Mississippi State Yes
  • Penn State Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Mississippi State Yes
  • Penn State Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS with Penn State Main Campus in University Park, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Penn State Main Campus is larger than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (50,737 students vs. 23,150 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Mississippi State University is located in Mississippi State, MS (Rural Fringe setting); Penn State Main Campus is in University Park, PA (Small City setting).
  • Mississippi State University is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Penn State Main Campus is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Mississippi State University 16:1; Penn State Main Campus 16:1.

Mississippi State vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mississippi State or Penn State? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Penn State ($18,478 vs. $27,889).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 10.9% lower than at Penn State Main Campus ($12,902 vs. $14,474).
  • Penn State Main Campus is 102.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Mississippi State (about $10,442 more per year; $20,644.00 vs. $10,202.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 51.2% higher at Penn State than at Mississippi State University (about $14,153 more per year; $41,790.00 vs. $27,637.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Mississippi State University than at Penn State Main Campus (96% vs. 37%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 22.2% larger than aid received by Penn State Main Campus students ($13,852 vs. $11,336).

Mississippi State vs. Penn State Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Mississippi State or Penn State? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Penn State and Mississippi State.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Penn State Main Campus (1330) is 100 points higher than at Mississippi State (1230).
  • Incoming Penn State students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 25 at Mississippi State).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mississippi State University 1100/1350; Penn State Main Campus 1240/1420.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Mississippi State University 21/29; Penn State Main Campus 27/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Mississippi State - Test optional; Penn State - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Mississippi State Aug 1, 2027.
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (77.6%) than Penn State (60.6%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 19.8% at Mississippi State vs. 17.1% at Penn State.

Mississippi State vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Mississippi State and Penn State? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Penn State Main Campus's six-year graduation rate (87%) is higher than Mississippi State University's (60%).
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn a median of about $7,800 more per year than Mississippi State graduates about ten years after starting college ($55,300 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Mississippi State University graduates have a $3,568 lower median loan debt than Penn State graduates ($23,250 vs. $26,818).
  • Among borrowers, Mississippi State graduates have an estimated $37 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Penn State graduates ($240 vs. $277).
  • More Penn 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.