Mississippi State vs. UTC

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

Mississippi State UTC
Location Mississippi State, MS Chattanooga, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 22,649 11,283
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #523 #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website msstate.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Mississippi State UTC
Tuition (In State) $9,248 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $25,294 $24,110
Room & Board $10,964 $9,500
Avg Net Price $15,364 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $14,252 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 94%

Admission

Mississippi State UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,830 8,345
Admitted 14,158 6,897
Acceptance Rate 75.2% 82.6%
Enrolled % 23.8% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.58 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/29 20/26
SAT Range 1070/1280 1023/1210
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Mississippi State UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Mississippi State UTC
Graduation Rate 60% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,500 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $240 $214

Diversity

Mississippi State UTC
% Men 49% 42%
% Women 51% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 75%
% Black 20% 11%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 7%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Mississippi State UTC
% In-State 59% 89%
% Out-of-State 40% 11%

Campus

Mississippi State UTC
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

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than UTC based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 11,283 students)

Mississippi State vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Mississippi State or UTC?

  • Mississippi State University is 15.7% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($9,248.00 vs. $7,992.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at Mississippi State than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($25,294.00 vs. $24,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Mississippi State ($14,417 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga are 15.4% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($9,500 vs. $10,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 53.1% larger than aid received The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($14,252 vs. $9,309)

Mississippi State vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 53 points higher than at UTC (1087)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UTC (24)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • UTC has a higher acceptance rate (82.6%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

Mississippi State vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (60% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $6,900 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $2,458 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($20,792 vs. $23,250)
  • UTC graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($214 vs. $240)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 56%)

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