Mississippi State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Mississippi State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

16:1
Student to faculty ratio
29
Average class size
43%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Mississippi State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 16:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
520
10-19
890
20-29
889
30-39
299
40-49
219
50-99
362
100+
98

Honors Programs

Mississippi State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Mississippi State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Mississippi State University:

83%
First-year retention rate
43%
4-year grad rate
63%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $59,291. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$59,291
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Mississippi State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Elementary Education and Teaching
181.4
220.52
259.64
298.76
337.88
377

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 92
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 39
  • Food Science 30
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 28
  • Veterinary/Animal Health Technology/Technician and Veterinary Assistant 22
  • Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 19
  • Landscaping and Groundskeeping 18
  • Horticultural Science 14
  • Poultry Science 10
  • Horticultural Science 1
  • Food Science 1
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architecture 37
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 34
  • Interior Architecture 30
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 119
  • Biochemistry 71
  • Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology 34
  • Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology 2
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 377
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 154
  • Accounting 110
  • Finance, General 100
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 47
  • Management Information Systems, General 46
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 23
  • Business/Managerial Economics 15
  • Business Administration and Management, General 6
  • Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management 5
  • Finance, General 4
  • Business/Managerial Economics 2
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 134
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 103
  • Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance 7
Culinary
  • Culinary Science/Culinology 4
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 214
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 43
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 21
  • Music Teacher Education 19
  • Educational/Instructional Technology 15
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 11
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 1
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 176
  • Civil Engineering, General 105
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 85
  • Industrial Engineering 64
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 64
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 53
  • Chemical Engineering 49
  • Engineering, Other 46
  • Computer Engineering, General 22
  • Petroleum Engineering 5
  • Biological/Biosystems Engineering 3
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 56
  • Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other 24
  • Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, Other 1
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 22
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 45
  • Apparel and Textiles, General 31
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 27
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 9
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 2
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 1
History
  • History, General 38
  • History, General 3
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 64
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 28
  • Mathematics, General 2
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 233
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 92
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 92
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 92
  • Biological and Physical Sciences 2
  • Data Science, General 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management 53
  • Forest Sciences and Biology 31
  • Environmental Studies 22
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 5
  • Environmental/Natural Resource Economics 3
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 243
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 6
Physical Sciences
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 79
  • Chemistry, General 9
  • Physics, General 4
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 264
  • Educational Psychology 53
  • Psychology, General 2
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 25
Social Sciences
  • Criminology 48
  • Political Science and Government, General 45
  • Anthropology, General 20
  • Sociology, General 8
  • Political Science and Government, General 5
  • Economics, General 4
  • Anthropology, General 1
  • Sociology, General 1
  • Criminology 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General 46
  • Music, General 7
  • Music Performance, General 0
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