Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Mississippi State University is once again being recognized for providing the highest value of any college or university in the state of Mississippi.

In a recent analysis from SmartAsset, a financial technology company, Mississippi State is ranked as the top “Best Value College” for the third year in a row. MSU graduates also earn higher average starting salaries than their peers from other state colleges and universities, according to the analysis.

To determine which school provided the most value to students, SmartAsset examined cost of tuition, student living costs, student retention rate, average scholarships awarded and average starting salary. The different categories were weighted to determine each institution’s College Education Value Index. MSU’s Education Value Index was 31.98, more than a point higher than the University of Mississippi, the second school in the ranking. Mississippi College is ranked third.

According to the study, MSU graduates receive an average starting salary of $47,900, which is $2,200 higher than the next highest university in the rankings. The average starting salary for all Mississippi higher education graduates is $43,042.

Mississippi State is consistently recognized for providing a high value to both on-campus and distance education students. Last fall, Money Magazine listed MSU among the top 50 best colleges in the south in its “Best Colleges for Your Money” rankings.

MSU provides access and opportunity to students from every area of Mississippi, all 50 states and from nearly 80 countries throughout the world. Enhancing its historic strengths in agriculture, natural resources, engineering, mathematics, and natural and physical sciences, MSU offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs. These include architecture, the fine arts, business, education, the humanities, the social and behavioral sciences, and veterinary medicine.

Building on its land-grant tradition, MSU strategically extends its resources and expertise throughout the state for the benefit of Mississippi’s citizens, offering access for adult learners through its Meridian campus, Extension Service and distance learning programs. MSU is among the National Science Foundation’s Top 100 research universities.

To view SmartAsset’s rankings for Mississippi Colleges and universities, visit https://smartasset.com/student-loans/student-loan-calculator#mississippi.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.