Contact: Madison Welzbacher

STARKVILLE, Mississippi – Mississippi State has once again been identified as the best “best value college” for providing students with the most value of any university in the state.

SmartAsset, a New York-based fintech company, recently released its eighth annual “Best Value Colleges” study, an analysis of institutions across the country using several different factors to determine which colleges offer the best return on investment for its students. . In the study, MSU ranks #1, with MSU graduates earning higher salaries than all other Mississippi college graduates.

According to the study, MSU graduates receive an average starting salary of $55,100, $2,700 above the next highest ranked university. The average starting salary for all Mississippi college graduates is $45,771.

The SmartAsset assessment also looks at tuition fees, student living expenses, student retention rate, and average scholarships and grants awarded. These categories are weighted to determine each institution’s college education value index. MSU is 45.98, 3.78 points ahead of the University of Mississippi, the second-ranked school. The University of Mississippi for women is third.

MSU is a nationally recognized leader in academic and research endeavors, and the 144-year-old land-grant university provides access and resources to students from all parts of Magnolia State, all 50 states and of 86 countries around the world. With a wide range of undergraduate and graduate academic disciplines and programs, MSU also provides access to adult learners through its Meridian campus, extension service, and distance learning programs.

MSU is the main university in Mississippi, available online at www.msstate.edu.