Samford University vs. Mississippi State

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

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Samford University vs. Mississippi State University comparison
Samford University Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
Samford University Mississippi State University
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Overview

Samford University Mississippi State
Location Birmingham, AL Mississippi State, MS
Setting Large Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,682 22,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #213 #523
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website samford.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Samford University Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $35,750 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $35,750 $25,294
Room & Board $11,264 $10,964
Avg Net Price $31,803 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $20,711 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

Samford University Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,337 18,830
Admitted 3,611 14,158
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 75.2%
Enrolled % 27% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.58
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/29
SAT Range 1080/1270 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 May 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Samford University Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Samford University Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 70% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,400 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $232 $240

Diversity

Samford University Mississippi State
% Men 32% 49%
% Women 68% 51%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 72%
% Black 7% 20%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Samford University Mississippi State
% In-State 25% 59%
% Out-of-State 74% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than Samford University based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 5,682 students)

Samford University vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Samford University or Mississippi State?

  • Samford University is 286.6% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($35,750.00 vs. $9,248.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.3% higher at Samford University than Mississippi State University ($35,750.00 vs. $25,294.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Samford University ($15,364 vs. $31,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 2.7% lower than costs at Samford University ($10,964 vs. $11,264)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Samford University than Mississippi State University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Samford University students is 45.3% larger than aid received Mississippi State University ($20,711 vs. $14,252)

Samford University vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Samford University (1162) is 22 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Samford University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Samford University students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Samford University has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

Samford University vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Samford University 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 Samford University.

  • The graduation rate at Samford University is higher than Mississippi State University (70% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from Samford University earn on average $9,900 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $47,500)
  • Samford University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Samford University graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($232 vs. $240)
  • More Samford University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 63%)

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