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Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS 18,092 Undergrads 63.7% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$26,922
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$15,501
After Aid
Median Earnings
$51,513
10yr Post-Entry
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$15,501
Peer Midpoint: $19,729.5
Earnings (10yr)$51,513
Peer Midpoint: $53,747
Graduation Rate63.7%
Peer Midpoint: 58.5%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients29.4%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time91.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
76.3%
SAT Avg
1,220
SAT Reading
25th: 57058075th: 690
SAT Math
25th: 54057575th: 720
ACT Composite
25th: 212675th: 29
ROI Sensitivity Analysis
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$450k
+$53k
-$35k
Median Cost$16k/yr
+$394k
-$3k
-$91k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$353k
-$44k
-$132k
ROI Efficiency Metrics
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
Never
-∞
Median Cost$16k/yr
Never
-163%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-136%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 10-year median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-143%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-88%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis
Bachelor's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
BachCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$18,832
Earnings (5yr)
$71,913
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
BachCIP: 1402
Median Debt
$17,500
Earnings (5yr)
$94,025
Lifetime Value Added
+$243k
Agricultural Business and Management
BachCIP: 0101
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$61,250
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Agricultural Production Operations
BachCIP: 0103
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$58,091
Lifetime Value Added
-$29k
Animal Sciences
BachCIP: 0109
Median Debt
$19,719
Earnings (5yr)
$71,455
Lifetime Value Added
+$74k
Anthropology
BachCIP: 4502
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$21,964
Lifetime Value Added
-$322k
Architecture
BachCIP: 0402
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (5yr)
$70,060
Lifetime Value Added
+$64k
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
BachCIP: 2602
Median Debt
$23,248
Earnings (5yr)
$56,867
Lifetime Value Added
-$39k
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,296
Earnings (5yr)
$65,609
Lifetime Value Added
+$30k
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
BachCIP: 1405
Median Debt
$25,000
Earnings (5yr)
$75,267
Lifetime Value Added
+$103k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,081
Lifetime Value Added
-$61k
Chemical Engineering
BachCIP: 1407
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (5yr)
$104,589
Lifetime Value Added
+$322k
Civil Engineering
BachCIP: 1408
Median Debt
$20,938
Earnings (5yr)
$84,639
Lifetime Value Added
+$173k
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
BachCIP: 4228
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (5yr)
$36,197
Lifetime Value Added
-$211k
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$50,575
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$24,250
Earnings (5yr)
$83,231
Lifetime Value Added
+$162k
Computer Engineering
BachCIP: 1409
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (2yr)
$67,660
Lifetime Value Added
+$77k
Construction Management
BachCIP: 5220
Median Debt
$30,500
Earnings (2yr)
$62,012
Lifetime Value Added
+$31k
Criminology
BachCIP: 4504
Median Debt
$22,055
Earnings (5yr)
$45,871
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
BachCIP: 1410
Median Debt
$25,037
Earnings (5yr)
$98,845
Lifetime Value Added
+$279k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$18,750
Earnings (5yr)
$42,693
Lifetime Value Added
-$156k
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1901
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$40,018
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Finance and Financial Management Services
BachCIP: 5208
Median Debt
$22,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,553
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Food Science and Technology
BachCIP: 0110
Median Debt
$23,767
Earnings (5yr)
$46,183
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Forestry
BachCIP: 0305
Median Debt
$19,000
Earnings (5yr)
$65,848
Lifetime Value Added
+$32k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
BachCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$54,013
Lifetime Value Added
-$62k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
BachCIP: 3105
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$51,438
Lifetime Value Added
-$83k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$36,014
Lifetime Value Added
-$212k
Industrial Engineering
BachCIP: 1435
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$89,777
Lifetime Value Added
+$211k
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 1506
Median Debt
$21,875
Earnings (5yr)
$72,000
Lifetime Value Added
+$78k
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
BachCIP: 1601
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$74,778
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Management Information Systems and Services
BachCIP: 5212
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$69,612
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$19,552
Earnings (5yr)
$64,519
Lifetime Value Added
+$21k
Mechanical Engineering
BachCIP: 1419
Median Debt
$21,636
Earnings (5yr)
$96,021
Lifetime Value Added
+$258k
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
BachCIP: 3099
Median Debt
$22,512
Earnings (5yr)
$45,314
Lifetime Value Added
-$134k
Plant Sciences
BachCIP: 0111
Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (5yr)
$47,207
Lifetime Value Added
-$118k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
$25,469
Earnings (5yr)
$60,348
Lifetime Value Added
-$11k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$23,250
Earnings (5yr)
$47,631
Lifetime Value Added
-$114k
Social Work
BachCIP: 4407
Median Debt
$23,750
Earnings (5yr)
$39,512
Lifetime Value Added
-$182k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,198
Lifetime Value Added
-$177k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
BachCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$21,500
Earnings (5yr)
$40,048
Lifetime Value Added
-$178k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
BachCIP: 1313
Median Debt
$15,750
Earnings (5yr)
$49,074
Lifetime Value Added
-$102k
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians
BachCIP: 0183
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$37,212
Lifetime Value Added
-$202k
Visual and Performing Arts, General
BachCIP: 5001
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (5yr)
$46,246
Lifetime Value Added
-$126k
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
BachCIP: 0306
Median Debt
$21,625
Earnings (5yr)
$50,619
Lifetime Value Added
-$90k
Master's Degrees
Accounting and Related Services
MastCIP: 5203
Median Debt
$14,957
Earnings (5yr)
$95,486
Lifetime Value Added
+$372k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
MastCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,950
Earnings (5yr)
$128,059
Lifetime Value Added
+$651k
Education, General
MastCIP: 1301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$51,557
Lifetime Value Added
-$14k
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services
MastCIP: 1905
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$66,155
Lifetime Value Added
+$120k
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
MastCIP: 4006
Median Debt
$29,609
Earnings (5yr)
$68,809
Lifetime Value Added
+$143k
Health and Physical Education/Fitness
MastCIP: 3105
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$52,559
Lifetime Value Added
-$4k
Public Administration
MastCIP: 4404
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$63,500
Lifetime Value Added
+$96k
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
MastCIP: 1311
Median Debt
$48,683
Earnings (5yr)
$47,093
Lifetime Value Added
-$56k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
MastCIP: 1312
Median Debt
$33,030
Earnings (5yr)
$44,854
Lifetime Value Added
-$78k
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
MastCIP: 1313
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$37,208
Lifetime Value Added
-$130k
Doctoral Degrees
Educational Administration and Supervision
DocCIP: 1304
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$75,144
Lifetime Value Added
+$59k
Professional Degrees
Veterinary Medicine
ProfCIP: 0180
Median Debt
$169,759
Earnings (5yr)
$123,620
Lifetime Value Added
+$412k
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate, accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results should not be compared with those Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors starting at age 18.