University of West Alabama vs. Mississippi State

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

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
Location Livingston, AL Mississippi State, MS
Setting Remote Rural Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,860 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1007 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwa.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $9,100 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $18,200 $25,294
Room & Board $7,820 $10,964
Avg Net Price $13,786 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $9,291 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 98%

Admission

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,131 18,830
Admitted 2,156 14,158
Acceptance Rate 68.9% 75.2%
Enrolled % 14.4% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.16 3.58
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/21 21/29
SAT Range 880/980 1070/1280
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (27%)
  • Health Professions (24%)
  • Business (14%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 28% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,500 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,489 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $273 $240

Diversity

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
% Men 25% 49%
% Women 75% 51%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 45% 72%
% Black 40% 20%
% Hispanic 2% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

University of West Alabama Mississippi State
% In-State 81% 59%
% Out-of-State 13% 40%

Campus

University of West Alabama 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 University of West Alabama based on total student enrollment (22,649 students vs. 5,860 students)

University of West Alabama vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of West Alabama or Mississippi State?

  • Mississippi State University is 1.6% more expensive to attend than University of West Alabama for in-state tuition ($9,248.00 vs. $9,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 39% higher at Mississippi State than University of West Alabama ($25,294.00 vs. $18,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of West Alabama than Mississippi State ($13,786 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of West Alabama are 40.2% lower than costs at Mississippi State University ($7,820 vs. $10,964)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than University of West Alabama (98% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 53.4% larger than aid received University of West Alabama ($14,252 vs. $9,291)

University of West Alabama vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 210 points higher than at University of West Alabama (930)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at University of West Alabama (20)
  • Accepted freshman Mississippi State students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at University of West Alabama (3.16)
  • Mississippi State has a higher acceptance rate (75.2%) than University of West Alabama (68.9%)

University of West Alabama vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of West Alabama 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 University of West Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than University of West Alabama (60% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Mississippi State University earn on average $9,000 more per year than University of West Alabama graduates after ten years. ($47,500 vs. $38,500)
  • Mississippi State University students graduate with a $3,239 lower median federal student loan debt than University of West Alabama graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,489)
  • Mississippi State graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than University of West Alabama graduates. ($240 vs. $273)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of West Alabama students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 36%)

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