Mississippi State University College Portrait
Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS 39762
(662) 325-2224
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
With more than 20,000 students from all 50 states and some 72 countries, Mississippi State University is Mississippi’s flagship research university. It has been named a “best value” institution by Kiplinger’s financial magazine and a “top 20” university for military personnel and veterans by the Military Times. Featuring the state’s only College of Veterinary Medicine and School of Architecture, Mississippi State also is one of the top research institutions in the U.S., carrying the “very high research activity” classification by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university offers nearly 175 programs leading to baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral degrees. In addition to veterinary medicine and architecture, MSU’s other academic colleges are Agriculture and Life Sciences; Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering; and Forest Resources. Along with pursuit of academics, Mississippi State encourages its students to participate in service learning, having clocked more than 30,000 hours in local communities each year.
Living in the BULLDOGS Community
The Bulldog Community
Mississippi State is a member of the highly competitive Southeastern Conference and fields seven intercollegiate sports for men and eight for women. Recreational and club sports also are a big part of campus life and include everything from ultimate frisbee and rock climbing to paintball and weight lifting. Learning communities play a major role at MSU, with the Shackouls Honors College enrolling more than 1,000 and the Montgomery Leadership Program encouraging skills that turn students into world-class citizens. MSU also expands horizons for students through study abroad programs and,at the same time, brings global students into the Bulldog family through an active international education program. With more than 300 student organizations, those new to campus have an array of fraternities and sororities, service clubs, and religious and political groups in which to find new friends. A variety of campus offices and departments are committed to the well-being of each student, with services available for academic support, career counseling, safety, physical disabilities, and more.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
| Total Students | 20,424 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 16,312 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 7,855 | 48% |
| Men | 8,457 | 52% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 80 | <1% |
| Asian | 186 | 1% |
| African American / Black | 3,685 | 23% |
| Hispanic | 286 | 2% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 12 | <1% |
| White | 11,380 | 70% |
| Two or More Races | 182 | 1% |
| International | 278 | 2% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 223 | 1% |
| Where do MSU undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | 78% |
| Other US States & Territories | 21% |
| Other Countries | 2% |
| How old are MSU undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 22 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 12% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2011)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 20 - 27 | |
| Math | 18 - 26 | 490 - 630 |
| English | 21 - 29 | |
| Critical Reading | 480 - 605 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top of graduating class Data Not Available | ||
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.28 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 99% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $20,902.00
The cost to attend Mississippi State University varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 53% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $5,810.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 46% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,497.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
MSU Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 20 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 63% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 86% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 833 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 36% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 15% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 79% |
Campus-based Housing
96% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
25% of all undergraduates live on campus
Campus Safety
The MSU Police Department is a full-service agency that is available 24 hours a day, throughout the year. The Department works towards building partnerships with the university community to provide a safer environment with such programs and services as Cops-on-Bikes, Resident Hall Adopt-a-Cop, Operation Identification, R.A.D. Program, Community Police Officers, Bully Patrol, and Library Patrol. The Police Department may be contacted at 662.325.2121 for information or requests for services.
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Research Universities (very high research activity)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, more selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, high graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Comprehensive doctoral with medical/veterinary
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
Student Activities and Involvement at MSU
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 94.0% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 61.0% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 30.0% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 84.0% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 19.0% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 46.0% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 63.0% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 8.0% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 90.0% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 96.0% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 76.0% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 69.0% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 95.0% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 64.0% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 81.0% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 95.0% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 70.0% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 65.0% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 86.0% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 54.0% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 90.0% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 93.0% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 91.0% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at Mississippi State University in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 2,759 |
| Master's | 883 |
| Doctoral | 212 |
| Total | 3,854 |
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES | 23% |
| EDUCATION | 17% |
| ENGINEERING | 12% |
| MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES | 6% |
| PSYCHOLOGY | 6% |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 87% four-year success and progress rate means that 87% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 1,951 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 1,308 Full-Time Transfer Students
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 83%
Student Learning at Mississippi State University
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
Results from the ETS Proficiency Profile (formerly MAPP)
The ETS Proficiency Profile (formerly MAPP) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, and written communication and reports separate scores on critical thinking and written communication.
Critical Thinking Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in critical thinking skills is below what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 110
Senior Score: 114
ETS score range: 100 to 130
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 23
Senior Score: 24
Written Communication Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in written communication skills is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 114
Senior Score: 116
ETS score range: 100 to 130
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 23
Senior Score: 24