Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena, Mississippi · Public · 92.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 5/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU), an HBCU in Itta Bena, MS, posts an ROI score of just 5 out of 100, firmly in the Below Benchmark tier. The institution serves 1,439 students in the Mississippi Delta region. The financial structure is uniquely challenging: tuition is just $7,692 (in-state and out-of-state at parity, an HBCU access feature), with net price of $9,686 and a four-year all-in of $38,744. Yet the outcomes are severe: average earnings six years after entry are $22,500, climbing only to a median $31,919 by year ten. The federal Scorecard reports a payback period of 999 years, meaning earnings never recoup cost relative to a high school baseline. With median debt of $28,413, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.263 - meaning typical graduates owe more in debt than they earn in a full year. Completion rate is 26.8%, repayment rate at three years is 50.2%.
How Mississippi Valley 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 Score5/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.26 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate26.8% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Mississippi Valley State University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $7,692/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $7,692/yr |
| Average net price | $9,686/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $38,744 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $31,919 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $22,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $28,413 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $301 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 26.8% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,439 |
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: $7,692/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 $9,686/year, or roughly $38,744 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 $9,073/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,479/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $28,413, which works out to about $301 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($22,500) and comes to 1.26, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least 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 | $9,073 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,076 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $9,627 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $12,440 |
| $110,001+ | $17,479 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $9,073 - only modestly above sticker tuition. With Pell stacking, this bracket sees meaningful aid leverage, but the four-year cost of about $36,000 against $22,500 six-year earnings still produces difficult math. With Pell rate above 56%, this is the dominant income segment at MVSU.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $9,076 and $48,001-$75,000 pays $9,627 - net prices nearly flat across the lower three income tiers. Mississippi middle-income families benefit from the very low absolute cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $12,440 and $110,001-plus pays $17,479. Even at the highest bracket, the absolute cost is still moderate. Higher-income families here are uncommon at MVSU; the value play depends on HBCU-specific cultural fit rather than financial optimization.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Mississippi Valley State University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,691 | - |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Median debt and debt-to-earnings ratio are not reported, limiting the analysis. The four-year earnings figure indicates that business graduates who relocate for employment can find solid mid-career outcomes; the institutional average is dragged down by other programs and high non-completion.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 43.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 50.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 36.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 39.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Mississippi Valley 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 | 92.4% |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 13-17 |
| Enrollment | 1,439 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 56.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,733 |
MVSU's admission rate is 92.4% - effectively open admission consistent with the school's HBCU access mission. SAT mid-ranges are not reported. The combination of near-open admission and a 27% completion rate signals significant academic readiness gaps. MVSU admits many students who arrive without the foundational preparation needed to succeed in college coursework; the support structures available are not sufficient to close that gap for most.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
MVSU's score is 5.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Valley State University (this school) | 5 | $9,686 | $31,919 |
| Bennett College | 6 | $28,299 | $36,654 |
| Alabama State University | 5 | $20,435 | $34,502 |
| Harris-Stowe State University | 5 | $9,922 | $31,088 |
| Langston University | 5 | $11,504 | $33,261 |
| Wiley University | 5 | $7,092 | $33,159 |
Who Thrives Here
MVSU enrolls 1,439 students with a Pell Grant rate of 56.4% - a majority Pell-eligible student body, consistent with the HBCU access mission and the surrounding Delta economy. The fit case here is a Mississippi student committed to the HBCU experience, planning to leverage MVSU as a launching point with intent to relocate for employment after graduation, and prepared to actively use academic support to beat the institutional 27% completion average. The rural Delta setting and small-school environment offer real cultural and community value that is not captured in earnings data.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Mississippi Valley State University scores 5/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $9,686 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $31,919 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 26.8% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.26 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 50.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $28,413 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $22,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.26. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Mississippi Valley State University: Common Questions
Is Mississippi Valley State University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Mississippi Valley State University scores 5/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $9,686 a year after aid against $31,919 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Mississippi Valley 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 $9,686 a year, or roughly $38,744 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 Valley State University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $31,919 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Mississippi Valley 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 more than 50 years for Mississippi Valley State University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Mississippi Valley State University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $28,413, against average earnings of $22,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.26. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Mississippi Valley State University?
The six-year graduation rate is 26.8%. 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.