USF Main Campus vs. Mississippi State

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

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
Location Tampa, FL Mississippi State, MS
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 49,600 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #423 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usf.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $4,559 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $15,473 $25,294
Room & Board $12,622 $10,964
Avg Net Price $11,004 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $11,066 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 98%

Admission

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,568 18,830
Admitted 28,801 14,158
Acceptance Rate 43.9% 75.2%
Enrolled % 23.6% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 21/29
SAT Range 1140/1330 1070/1280
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 52% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,147 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $197 $240

Diversity

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
% Men 42% 49%
% Women 58% 51%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 51% 72%
% Black 11% 20%
% Hispanic 21% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

USF Main Campus Mississippi State
% In-State 74% 59%
% Out-of-State 16% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 22,649 students)

USF Main Campus vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF Main Campus or Mississippi State?

  • Mississippi State University is 102.9% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($9,248.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 63.5% higher at Mississippi State than University of South Florida Main Campus ($25,294.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than Mississippi State ($11,004 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 15.1% lower than costs at University of South Florida Main Campus ($10,964 vs. $12,622)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than University of South Florida Main Campus (98% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 28.8% larger than aid received University of South Florida Main Campus ($14,252 vs. $11,066)

USF Main Campus vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Florida Main Campus (1177) is 37 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming USF Main Campus students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman USF Main Campus students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than USF Main Campus (43.9%)

USF Main Campus vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF Main Campus 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 USF Main Campus.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (60% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $46,500)
  • University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $4,103 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($19,147 vs. $23,250)
  • USF Main Campus graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($197 vs. $240)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 57%)

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