Delta State University
Cleveland, Mississippi · Public · 100.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 29/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Delta State University, a small open-enrollment public in Cleveland, Mississippi, posts an ROI score of 29, in the Below Benchmark tier under our methodology. Median 10-year earnings are $41,991, modeled payback runs 27.8 years, debt-to-earnings sits at 0.63 against median debt of $20,390, and completion is 48.1%. The 5-year repayment rate of 56.3% indicates many graduates struggle to service loans even years after graduation. Pell rate of 41.8% reflects high need-based enrollment. The bright spot is nursing - 46 graduates per year earning $68,221 first-year and $76,031 four years out, with a B+ ROI grade - and Delta State's noted aviation program (23 graduates). Most other majors land at C, D, or F ROI grades, including biology and psychology with debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. Delta State serves a critical regional purpose, and on pure financial-return math the strongest case is in nursing.
How Delta State University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score29/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period27.8 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Delta State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,605/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,605/yr |
| Average net price | $13,540/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $54,160 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $41,991 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,390 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $216 |
| Estimated payback period | 27.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,620 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $8,605/year, which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,540/year, or roughly $54,160 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $12,223/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,950/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,390, which works out to about $216 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,400) and comes to 0.63, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $12,223 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,615 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $10,625 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,170 |
| $110,001+ | $16,950 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $12,223 net annually - modest discounting from the $13,540 average. Pell + Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant carry most of the load. Four-year cost runs about $49,000. For a Pell-eligible nursing student who completes, the math pencils strongly. For non-nursing tracks at this income, the four-year totals relative to median earnings make the math hard.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Note inverted brackets: families earning $30,001-$48,000 pay $10,615, and the $48,001-$75,000 group pays $10,625 - both LESS than the lowest-income tier. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $17,170, and $110,001-plus drops to $16,950 - another inversion. These non-monotonic patterns reflect Mississippi state aid structure plus institutional aid quirks. Middle-income four-year totals run $42,000-$69,000.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $16,950 - about double in-state tuition, indicating Delta State includes room/board/fees and offers minimal merit aid at this bracket. Four years runs roughly $68,000. With median 10-year earnings under $42,000, lifetime ROI math is weak unless the student majors in nursing.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Delta State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Teacher Education, Subject-Specific | $43,300 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $76,031 | B+ |
| Teacher Education | $41,177 | C+ |
| Biology | $46,266 | F |
| Family and Consumer Sciences | $41,285 | D |
| Business Administration and Management | $45,058 | C+ |
| Air Transportation | $32,537 | C |
| Psychology | $37,868 | F |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $24,839 | D |
| Social Work | $47,196 | C+ |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Delta State's flagship and the program where the value math actually pencils. With 46 graduates per year, $68,221 first-year and $76,031 four-year median earnings, and median debt of $23,590, nursing posts a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. Mississippi nursing demand and Delta State's clinical placements at Bolivar Medical Center and other regional hospitals make this a strong value proposition for prepared students.
Teacher Education, Subject-Specific
Subject-specific teacher education graduates 52 students per year (the largest education cohort) with $34,177 first-year and $43,300 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $22,500 yields a 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Mississippi's teacher salary scale holds down the math; PSLF eligibility is critical for this pathway to make financial sense.
Teacher Education
Teacher education graduates 40 students per year with $39,008 first-year and $41,177 four-year median earnings. Median debt of $19,500 yields a 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C+ ROI grade - slightly better than the subject-specific track because of lower borrowing. Still, Mississippi's compressed teacher salary scale means PSLF or TEACH grant eligibility is essential to make this work financially over the long term.
Biology
Biology graduates 34 students per year and posts an F ROI grade. First-year earnings of $20,823 and four-year earnings of $46,266 are paired with median debt of $22,601, producing a 1.09 debt-to-earnings ratio. The four-year recovery suggests many graduates pursue medical, dental, or graduate school; without that next step, bachelor's-only outcomes don't service the debt. Prospective biology students should commit to graduate or professional school plans before enrolling.
Air Transportation
Aviation graduates 23 students per year with $32,537 first-year median earnings (four-year not reported) and median debt of $21,500. Debt-to-earnings of 0.66 produces a C ROI grade. The first-year earnings are typical for aviation graduates building flight hours as instructors before moving to regional airlines; longer-term outcomes are likely better than the data shows. Delta State's aviation program is a recognized regional asset for the Mississippi pilot pipeline.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.8% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 69.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 56.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Delta State University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 100.0% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 450-620 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 475-590 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-23 |
| Enrollment | 1,620 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,517 |
Delta State admits 100% of applicants - effectively open enrollment. SAT mid-range runs 450-620 math and 475-590 reading; ACT spans 17-23. The 48.1% completion rate aligns with this profile - admissions is taking academic risk, and a meaningful share of matriculants are not academically prepared to finish a four-year program. Prospective students should self-assess preparation and consider whether community-college transfer might offer a stronger pathway.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta State University (this school) | 29 | $13,540 | $41,991 |
| Adams State University | 29 | $12,980 | $44,372 |
| West Liberty University | 27 | $15,366 | $43,296 |
| Henderson State University | 25 | $23,405 | $43,459 |
| Alcorn State University | 16 | $13,265 | $36,421 |
| Jackson State University | 14 | $23,836 | $39,060 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See Delta State University side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Delta State fits a Mississippi Delta student - often Pell-eligible (41.8% Pell), often first-generation, often place-bound - pursuing a credential in nursing, teaching, or aviation. Enrollment of 1,620 keeps the campus small. Strong fits are nursing students who can complete on schedule and aviation students with clear pilot pathway plans. Weaker fits are biology, psychology, and visual/performing arts majors who would face the school's worst ROI subgroups.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Delta State University scores 29/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,540 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $41,991 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 27.8 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 48.1% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 69.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $20,390 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Delta State University: Common Questions
Is Delta State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Delta State University scores 29/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,540 a year after aid against $41,991 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 27.8 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Delta State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,540 a year, or roughly $54,160 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Delta State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $41,991 ten years after enrolling, roughly $191 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Delta State University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 27.8 years for Delta State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Delta State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,390, against average earnings of $32,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Delta State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 48.1%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.