Mississippi State vs. Purdue

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

IU Virginia Tech Illinois Rose-Hulman Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State UCSD Iowa NC State ISU Ole Miss
Mississippi State University vs. Purdue University Main Campus comparison
Mississippi State University Purdue University Main Campus College 3 College 4
Mississippi State University Purdue University Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Mississippi State Purdue
Location Mississippi State, MS West Lafayette, IN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 22,657 52,905
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #452 #103
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msstate.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mississippi State Purdue
Tuition (In State) $9,665 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $26,430 $28,520
Room & Board $12,293 $11,650
Avg Net Price $16,480 $12,421
Avg Grant Aid $13,532 $11,126
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 39%

Admission

Mississippi State Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,877 73,083
Admitted 15,934 36,763
Acceptance Rate 76.3% 50.3%
Enrolled % 23.5% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 27/34
SAT Range 1110/1410 1190/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Mississippi State Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Mississippi State Purdue
Graduation Rate 60% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $222

Diversity

Mississippi State Purdue
% Men 9% 15%
% Women 11% 10%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 72% 65%
% Black 20% 3%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Mississippi State Purdue
% In-State 55% 46%
% Out-of-State 43% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 22,657 students)

Mississippi State vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mississippi State or Purdue?

  • Purdue University Main Campus is 0.5% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($9,718.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at Purdue than Mississippi State University ($28,520.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Mississippi State ($12,421 vs. $16,480)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 5.5% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($11,650 vs. $12,293)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Purdue University Main Campus (96% vs. 39%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 21.6% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($13,532 vs. $11,126)

Mississippi State vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 91 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Purdue students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Purdue students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than Purdue (50.3%)

Mississippi State vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Mississippi State or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Mississippi State.

  • The graduation rate at Purdue is higher than Mississippi State University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $13,700 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $47,500)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($222 vs. $240)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 63%)

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