ATU vs. MSU

Should I go to Arkansas Tech University or Midwestern State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ATU or MSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Arkansas Tech University vs. Midwestern State University comparison
Arkansas Tech University Midwestern State University College 3 College 4
Arkansas Tech University Midwestern State University
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Overview

ATU MSU
Location Russellville, AR Wichita Falls, TX
Setting Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 9,445 5,784
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #927 #817
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website atu.edu mwsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ATU MSU
Tuition (In State) $5,820 $5,877
Tuition (Out of State) $11,640 $7,827
Room & Board $9,157 $10,046
Avg Net Price $12,016 $11,361
Avg Grant Aid $8,440 $10,643
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 100%

Admission

ATU MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,762 5,507
Admitted 5,439 5,090
Acceptance Rate 94.4% 92.4%
Enrolled % 26.7% 15.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/24 16/22
SAT Range 990/1180 910/1100
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline

Academics

ATU MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (22%)
  • General Studies (15%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (5%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (3%)

Outcomes

ATU MSU
Graduation Rate 43% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,100 $44,300
Making Student Loan Payments 51% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,750 $22,299
Median Loan Payment $183 $230

Diversity

ATU MSU
% Men 42% 36%
% Women 58% 64%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 52%
% Black 10% 14%
% Hispanic 6% 17%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 9%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

ATU MSU
% In-State 94% 94%
% Out-of-State 5% 3%

Campus

ATU MSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arkansas Tech University is larger than than MSU based on total student enrollment (9,445 students vs. 5,784 students)

ATU vs. MSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ATU or MSU?

  • Midwestern State University is 1% more expensive to attend than ATU for in-state tuition ($5,877.00 vs. $5,820.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.7% higher at ATU than Midwestern State University ($11,640.00 vs. $7,827.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Midwestern State University than ATU ($11,361 vs. $12,016)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arkansas Tech University are 9.7% lower than costs at Midwestern State University ($9,157 vs. $10,046)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Midwestern State University than Arkansas Tech University (100% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Midwestern State University students is 26.1% larger than aid received Arkansas Tech University ($10,643 vs. $8,440)

ATU vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ATU or MSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between MSU or ATU .

  • Accepted freshman ATU students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at MSU (3.2)
  • ATU has a higher acceptance rate (94.4%) than MSU (92.4%)

ATU vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ATU or MSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between MSU and ATU.

  • The graduation rate at ATU is higher than Midwestern State University (43% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Midwestern State University earn on average $7,200 more per year than ATU graduates after ten years. ($44,300 vs. $37,100)
  • Arkansas Tech University students graduate with a $4,549 lower median federal student loan debt than MSU graduates. ($17,750 vs. $22,299)
  • ATU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than MSU graduates. ($183 vs. $230)
  • More MSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ATU students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 51%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/