Mississippi State vs. Tennessee

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

 Mississippi State Tennessee
Location Mississippi State, MS Knoxville, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 22,657 36,304
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #452 #222
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msstate.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Mississippi State Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $9,665 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $26,430 $29,522
Room & Board $12,293 $12,500
Avg Net Price $16,480 $20,885
Avg Grant Aid $13,532 $11,491
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 85%

Admission

 Mississippi State Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 20,877 50,488
Admitted 15,934 23,221
Acceptance Rate 76.3% 46%
Enrolled % 23.5% 28.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/29 25/31
SAT Range 1110/1410 1190/1340
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Mississippi State Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Mississippi State Tennessee
Graduation Rate 60% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $206

Diversity

 Mississippi State Tennessee
% Men 9% 9%
% Women 11% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 79%
% Black 20% 7%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 Mississippi State Tennessee
% In-State 55% 58%
% Out-of-State 43% 41%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (36,304 students vs. 22,657 students)

Mississippi State vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mississippi State or Tennessee?

  • The University of Tennessee is 17.2% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($11,332.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.7% higher at Tennessee than Mississippi State University ($29,522.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Tennessee ($16,480 vs. $20,885)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 1.7% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($12,293 vs. $12,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than The University of Tennessee (96% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 17.8% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee ($13,532 vs. $11,491)

Mississippi State vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee (1214) is 74 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Tennessee students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Tennessee students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than Tennessee (46%)

Mississippi State vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Tennessee is higher than Mississippi State University (63% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $8,800 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $47,500)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($206 vs. $240)
  • More Tennessee 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/