ULM vs. Mississippi State

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

 ULM Mississippi State
Location Monroe, LA Mississippi State, MS
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 8,272 22,657
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #665 #452
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ulm.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ULM Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $5,788 $9,665
Tuition (Out of State) $17,888 $26,430
Room & Board $10,182 $12,293
Avg Net Price $11,160 $16,480
Avg Grant Aid $13,124 $13,532
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 96%

Admission

 ULM Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,878 20,877
Admitted 3,637 15,934
Acceptance Rate 74.6% 76.3%
Enrolled % 28.8% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/24 21/29
SAT Range 1050/1350 1110/1410
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 ULM Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (20%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 ULM Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 33% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,800 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $206 $240

Diversity

 ULM Mississippi State
% Men 5% 9%
% Women 16% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 62% 72%
% Black 25% 20%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 ULM Mississippi State
% In-State 88% 55%
% Out-of-State 6% 43%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Mississippi State University is larger than than ULM based on total student enrollment (22,657 students vs. 8,272 students)

ULM vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ULM or Mississippi State?

  • Mississippi State University is 67% more expensive to attend than ULM for in-state tuition ($9,665.00 vs. $5,788.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.8% higher at Mississippi State than University of Louisiana Monroe ($26,430.00 vs. $17,888.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Louisiana Monroe than Mississippi State ($11,160 vs. $16,480)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Louisiana Monroe are 20.7% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($10,182 vs. $12,293)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Louisiana Monroe as Mississippi State University (96% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 3.1% larger than aid received University of Louisiana Monroe ($13,532 vs. $13,124)

ULM vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 86 points higher than at ULM (1054)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at ULM (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mississippi State students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at ULM (3.53)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (76.3%) than ULM (74.6%)

ULM vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ULM 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 ULM.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than University of Louisiana Monroe (60% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $1,700 more per year than ULM graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $45,800)
  • University of Louisiana Monroe students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,250)
  • ULM graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($206 vs. $240)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ULM students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 49%)

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