Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, Mississippi · Public · 90.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 47/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Mississippi University for Women receives a CampusROI score of 47 (Below Average Value tier) under our methodology, alongside a 46.8% completion rate. Published tuition is $8,492 and the average net price is $12,411 per year, or $49,644 over four years of attendance (a cost figure, not a debt figure). The net price is higher than published tuition because it measures the full cost of attendance after grant aid, not tuition alone. Median debt at graduation is $15,000 against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry, a 0.453 debt-to-earnings ratio, and median earnings reach $46,128 ten years after entry. Our model estimates a 17-year payback period. Three years after leaving, 67.4% of borrowers were making progress on repayment. Outcomes vary widely by program and by student, and these institution-level figures describe past cohorts rather than any individual result. Figures are from the 2024-2025 College Scorecard release.
How Mississippi University for Women 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.
- Payback period17 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Mississippi University for Women
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $8,492/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $8,492/yr |
| Average net price | $12,411/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $49,644 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $46,128 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $15,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $159 |
| Estimated payback period | 17 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 46.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,605 |
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: $8,492/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 $12,411/year, or roughly $49,644 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 $10,676/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,285/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $15,000, which works out to about $159 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,100) and comes to 0.45, which in our view is comfortably manageable.
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 | $10,676 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,434 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,037 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,060 |
| $110,001+ | $19,285 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 report an average net price of $10,676 per year, about $42,700 over four years. Institutional and outside aid can change this figure significantly for individual students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families earning $30,001-$48,000 report an average net price of $10,434 per year, families earning $48,001-$75,000 report $13,037, and families earning $75,001-$110,000 report $17,060.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning over $110,000 report an average net price of $19,285 per year, about $77,100 over four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Mississippi University for Women with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,522 | B+ |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $42,035 | D |
| Communication Disorders Sciences | $49,488 | - |
| Public Health | $38,325 | F |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $43,936 | C+ |
| Teacher Education | $40,196 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $39,455 | D |
| Psychology | $24,426 | D |
| Legal Support Services | $45,081 | D |
| Culinary Arts and Related Services | $42,043 | F |
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
Registered Nursing has 357 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a B+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $74,422 in the first year and $91,522 by year four, against median debt of $19,260 (a 0.259 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations has 130 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a D grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $35,310 in the first year and $42,035 by year four, against median debt of $24,875 (a 0.704 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Public Health
Public Health has 27 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $26,553 in the first year and $38,325 by year four, against median debt of $28,000 (a 1.054 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Culinary Arts and Related Services
Culinary Arts and Related Services has 9 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $20,026 in the first year and $42,043 by year four, against median debt of $25,750 (a 1.286 debt-to-earnings ratio). With so few graduates, these program figures rest on a small cohort and can move sharply from year to year.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 67.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 57.3% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Mississippi University for Women’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 | 90.3% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 17-24 |
| Enrollment | 1,605 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 40.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,855 |
MUW admits 90.3% of applicants. The completion rate of 46.8% measures the share of first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of normal time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi University for Women (this school) | 47 | $12,411 | $46,128 |
| Chadron State College | 50 | $12,549 | $47,002 |
| Lake Superior State University | 46 | $12,822 | $49,045 |
| University of Wisconsin-Superior | 45 | $12,220 | $49,606 |
| Delta State University | 29 | $13,540 | $41,991 |
| Alcorn State University | 16 | $13,265 | $36,421 |
Who Thrives Here
Students relying heavily on loans should compare the net price for their income bracket using MUW's net price calculator.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Mississippi University for Women is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $12,411 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $46,128 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 17 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What it has going for it: manageable debt relative to earnings. What to keep an eye on: its 46.8% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 67.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $15,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
Mississippi University for Women: Common Questions
Is Mississippi University for Women worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Mississippi University for Women scores 47/100 on our ROI scale. At $12,411 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $46,128 ten years after entry, so it takes about 17 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Mississippi University for Women 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 $12,411 a year, or roughly $49,644 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 Mississippi University for Women graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $46,128 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,328 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 Mississippi University for Women?
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 17 years for Mississippi University for Women. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Mississippi University for Women graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $15,000, against average earnings of $33,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at Mississippi University for Women?
The six-year graduation rate is 46.8%. 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.