CU Boulder vs. Mississippi State vs. Southern Utah University vs. Ole Miss

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Mississippi State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or Mississippi State 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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University of Colorado Boulder vs. Mississippi State University vs. Southern Utah University vs. University of Mississippi comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Mississippi State University Southern Utah University University of Mississippi
University of Colorado Boulder Mississippi State University Southern Utah University University of Mississippi
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Overview

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Location Boulder, CO Mississippi State, MS Cedar City, UT University, MS
Setting Small City Rural Fringe Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 41,432 22,657 15,033 24,043
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #197 #452 #855 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu msstate.edu suu.edu olemiss.edu
Team Colors                                        

Costs

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Tuition (In State) $14,784 $9,665 $6,006 $9,252
Tuition (Out of State) $40,297 $26,430 $19,822 $26,820
Room & Board $16,950 $12,293 $8,824 $12,040
Avg Net Price $22,640 $16,480 $12,375 $14,946
Avg Grant Aid $10,838 $13,532 $8,992 $13,070
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 96% 91% 78%

Admission

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Applied 56,069 20,877 19,190 27,837
Admitted 46,692 15,934 15,443 27,218
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 76.3% 80.5% 141.8%
Enrolled % 16.2% 23.5% 14.7% 33.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.58 3.58 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+ B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 28/33 21/29 20/26 21/29
SAT Range 1230/1420 1110/1410 1030/1240 1020/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026 Aug 1, 2026 Sep 8, 2025

Academics

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1 22:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (25%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Business (59%)
  • Education (24%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)

Outcomes

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Graduation Rate 68% 60% 35% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $47,500 $43,300 $52,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 63% 69% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,250 $12,575 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $240 $130 $206

Diversity

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
% Men 14% 9% 6% 8%
% Women 9% 11% 7% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Low Low Low
HBCU No No No No
% White 71% 72% 77% 78%
% Black 2% 20% 2% 14%
% Hispanic 11% 2% 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 1% 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2% 1% 2%
% International 6% 1% 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1% 5% 0%

Students

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
% In-State 53% 55% 69% 30%
% Out-of-State 45% 43% 25% 69%

Campus

 CU Boulder Mississippi State Southern Utah University Ole Miss
Campus Housing Yes Yes Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes No No
Learn More Details Details Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Mississippi State based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 22,657 students)

CU Boulder vs. Mississippi State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Mississippi State?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 53% more expensive to attend than Mississippi State for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $9,665.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.5% higher at CU Boulder than Mississippi State University ($40,297.00 vs. $26,430.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Mississippi State University than CU Boulder ($16,480 vs. $22,640)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Mississippi State University are 37.9% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,293 vs. $16,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Mississippi State University than University of Colorado Boulder (96% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Mississippi State University students is 24.9% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($13,532 vs. $10,838)

CU Boulder vs. Mississippi State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 72 points higher than at Mississippi State (1140)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Mississippi State (25)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Mississippi State (3.58)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than Mississippi State (76.3%)

CU Boulder vs. Mississippi State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or Mississippi State? 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 Mississippi State and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Mississippi State University (68% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $9,400 more per year than Mississippi State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $47,500)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Mississippi State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,250)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Mississippi State graduates. ($201 vs. $240)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Mississippi State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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