WSU vs. Mississippi State

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

WSU Mississippi State
Location Detroit, MI Mississippi State, MS
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 23,630 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #582 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wayne.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSU Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $12,933 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $29,622 $25,294
Room & Board $11,321 $10,964
Avg Net Price $15,347 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $10,605 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 98%

Admission

WSU Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,002 18,830
Admitted 10,547 14,158
Acceptance Rate 75.3% 75.2%
Enrolled % 24.4% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.42 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/29
SAT Range 1040/1260 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 Aug 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

WSU Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

WSU Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 26% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 38% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,258 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $230 $240

Diversity

WSU Mississippi State
% Men 40% 49%
% Women 60% 51%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 57% 72%
% Black 19% 20%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

WSU Mississippi State
% In-State 93% 59%
% Out-of-State 3% 40%

Campus

WSU 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

  • Wayne State University is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (23,630 students vs. 22,649 students)

WSU vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSU or Mississippi State?

  • Wayne State University is 39.8% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($12,933.00 vs. $9,248.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.1% higher at WSU than Mississippi State University ($29,622.00 vs. $25,294.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wayne State University than Mississippi State ($15,347 vs. $15,364)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 3.3% lower than costs at Wayne State University ($10,964 vs. $11,321)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than Wayne State University (98% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 34.4% larger than aid received Wayne State University ($14,252 vs. $10,605)

WSU vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Mississippi State University (1140) is 70 points higher than at WSU (1070)
  • Incoming Mississippi State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at WSU (23)
  • Accepted freshman Mississippi State students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.58) than students at WSU (3.42)
  • WSU has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

WSU vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSU 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 WSU.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than Wayne State University (60% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Wayne State University earn on average $3,500 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,500)
  • Wayne State University students graduate with a $992 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($22,258 vs. $23,250)
  • WSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($230 vs. $240)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSU students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 38%)

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