Please Note: MSU MEMO is archived as a part of Mississippi State University's history. Articles may refer to situations which have changed or people who are no longer affiliated with the university.
 |
January 30, 2006 Volume 30, Issue 20 |
MSU named ‘best value’ public college
Mississippi State again is among the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges,” according to the February edition of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine.
The publication ranks MSU at 93rd in the nation, using costs for in-state students.
According to Kiplinger’s, the best-value schools “are noteworthy for their combination of top-flight academics and affordable costs.”
To arrive at its rankings, the magazine took into account the percentage of 2004-05 freshmen scoring 24 or higher on the ACT, admission rates, freshman retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates.
Then, schools were ranked based on cost and financial aid. Factors considered included tuition and fees, room and board, expenses for books, average cost after subtracting grants, average percentage of need met by aid, and average debt at graduation.
Kiplinger’s calculates that MSU’s total cost for in-state students is $11,071, or $7,713 after taking into account financial aid.
In 2002, Kiplinger listed the 128-year-old land-grant institution among its “100 Baccalaureate Bargains.”