Delta State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Cleveland, Mississippi. It enrolls 1,620 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Good
70/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes68
Value47
Affordability50
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Delta State University admits 100% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
100%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
925 – 1210
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 23
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyRequiredSAT or ACT scores must be submitted with the application.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Delta State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
5.6 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $13,540 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$8,605
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,731
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,700
Books & Supplies
$1,500
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$22,445
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$12,223
$30,001 – $48,000
$10,615
$48,001 – $75,000
$10,625
$75,001 – $110,000
$17,170
Over $110,000
$16,950
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$20,390Medianpercentile
$22,45075%percentile
$31,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $15,828
↓ $4,562
No Pell $12,500
↓ $7,890
Dependent students $15,000
↓ $5,390
Independent students $16,067
↓ $4,323
Female students $15,000
↓ $5,390
Male students $13,850
↓ $6,540
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,720, less than completers ($20,390), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
22% of students who start here finish within six years, and 70% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
22%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
70%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $41,991 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$41,991
Earning > $25K
69%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$33,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$43,100
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$33,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$38,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$45,400
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,400, about 22% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↑
5.0 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 70% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,620 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 32% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
1,620
Part-Time
12%
First-Generation
32%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 48.2%781
Black 39.6%642
International 5.4%87
Hispanic 2.8%46
Other 1.7%27
Asian 0.6%10
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Delta State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Delta State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
44 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$13,923
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$36M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$64,893
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
123 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
18
15%
$74,278
Associate Professors
41
33%
$68,022
Assistant Professors
35
28%
$62,613
Instructors
29
24%
$57,395
Pros & Cons of Delta State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Delta State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
Modest first-year retention
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, Delta State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Delta State University
The questions families ask most about Delta State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Delta State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Delta State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 100%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Delta State University?
100% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Delta State University?
Aim for 1210 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 925 and 1210 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Delta State University?
Aim for 23 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 23 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Delta State University cost?
Budget around $13,540 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Delta State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $41,991 a year against a net price of $13,540, about 3.1 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Delta State University known for?
Mostly Teacher Education (K-12), Business Administration, Teaching Specific Subjects. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Delta State University graduates earn?
About $41,991 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Delta State University accredited?
Yes. Delta State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Delta State University?
1,620 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Delta State University?
22% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Delta State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Delta State University located?
Delta State University is located in Cleveland, Mississippi.
What programs does Delta State University offer?
44 different programs, most commonly Teacher Education (K-12), Business Administration, Teaching Specific Subjects. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Delta State University?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Mississippi
Other colleges in Mississippi share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Teacher Education (K-12)
Kinesiology
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