Mississippi State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Mississippi State University campus

Jimmy Smith / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Mississippi State University is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 66%. Established in 1880 and located in Starksville, Mississippi, Mississippi State is the largest university in Mississippi. High achieving students might want to consider the Shackouls Honors College. The university gets high marks for the number of engineering degrees it awards, and for its low cost. In athletics, the Mississippi State Bulldogs compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Considering applying to Mississippi State University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Mississippi State University had an acceptance rate of 66%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 66 students were admitted, making MSU's admissions process competitive.

Admissions Statistics (2018-19)
Number of Applicants 18,269
Percent Admitted 66%
Percent Admitted Who Enrolled (Yield) 29%

SAT Scores and Requirements

Mississippi State requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 6% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

SAT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
ERW 540 630
Math 530 650
ERW=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Mississippi State's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to MSU scored between 540 and 630, while 25% scored below 540 and 25% scored above 630. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 650, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 650. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1280 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Mississippi State.

Requirements

Mississippi State does not require the SAT writing section or SAT Subject tests. Note that Mississippi State does not superscore SAT results, your highest composite score will be considered.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Mississippi State requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 94% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

ACT Range (Admitted Students)
Section 25th Percentile 75th Percentile
English 22 33
Math 21 28
Composite 22 30

This admissions data tells us that most of Mississippi State's admitted students fall within the top 36% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Mississippi State received a composite ACT score between 22 and 30, while 25% scored above 30 and 25% scored below 22.

Requirements

Note that Mississippi State University does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. Mississippi State does not require the ACT writing section.

GPA

In 2019, the average high school GPA of Mississippi State University's incoming freshmen class was 3.53, and over 60% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.50 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Mississippi State have primarily high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

Mississippi State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph.
Mississippi State University Applicants' Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph. Data courtesy of Cappex.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Mississippi State University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Mississippi State University, which admits two-thirds of applicants, has a competitive admissions process based primarily on grades and test scores. However, the Mississippi State admissions process is not entirely quantitative. The university is also looking for students who have completed a challenging college preparatory curriculum. Mississippi State recalculates GPAs using their "College Preparatory Curriculum" which is comprised of four units of English, three units of math, science and social studies, two units of advanced electives (such as foreign language, advanced world geography, or advanced science or math classes), one unit of arts, and a half unit of technology. In-state students who meet the school's minimum SAT/ACT scores and GPA can receive automatic admission. Admission standards for out-of-state applicants are higher than for in-state applicants.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were admitted to Mississippi State. Most had SAT scores of 950 or higher (ERW+M), ACT composite scores of 18 or higher, and high school averages of a "B-" or higher.

If You Like Mississippi State University, You May Also Like These Schools

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Mississippi State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.

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Grove, Allen. "Mississippi State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo, Aug. 28, 2020, thoughtco.com/mississippi-state-admissions-787783. Grove, Allen. (2020, August 28). Mississippi State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/mississippi-state-admissions-787783 Grove, Allen. "Mississippi State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/mississippi-state-admissions-787783 (accessed March 29, 2024).