Kentucky vs. Mississippi State

Should I go to University of Kentucky or Mississippi State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Tennessee Louisville IU Ole Miss UC Auburn Alabama WKU Purdue Ohio State Michigan State Virginia Tech
University of Kentucky vs. Mississippi State University comparison
University of Kentucky Mississippi State University College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky Mississippi State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Kentucky Mississippi State
Location Lexington, KY Mississippi State, MS
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 31,547 22,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #523
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu msstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky Mississippi State
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $9,248
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $25,294
Room & Board $14,676 $10,964
Avg Net Price $18,693 $15,364
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $14,252
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

Kentucky Mississippi State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 18,830
Admitted 20,979 14,158
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 75.2%
Enrolled % 28.9% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.58
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 21/29
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 Feb 15, 2024 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

Kentucky Mississippi State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Kentucky Mississippi State
Graduation Rate 59% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $47,500
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $235 $240

Diversity

Kentucky Mississippi State
% Men 40% 49%
% Women 60% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 72%
% Black 8% 20%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Kentucky Mississippi State
% In-State 61% 59%
% Out-of-State 37% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 22,649 students)

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or Mississippi State?

  • University of Kentucky is 24.3% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $9,248.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.2% higher at Kentucky than Mississippi State University ($30,913.00 vs. $25,294.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than Kentucky ($15,364 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 33.9% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($10,964 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than University of Kentucky (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 1% larger than aid received University of Kentucky ($14,252 vs. $14,114)

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 3 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Mississippi State (75.2%)

Kentucky vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Mississippi State is higher than University of Kentucky (60% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $3,500 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($235 vs. $240)
  • More Mississippi State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 62%)

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