Mississippi Valley State University

Public · Moderately Selective · MS

Photo: Chillin662 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationMS · South

SettingRural

Undergrads1,439

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate14.9%

6-yr grad rate26.8%

Drop-out rate30.2%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$8k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity96.7%

Gender diversity50.4%

International0%

IdentityHBCU

Overview

Mississippi Valley State University is a public historically Black university in Itta Bena, Mississippi, in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. It is one of the smaller HBCUs in the state system and carries deep ties to the Delta's history and culture.

Academics

The university is known for its education and social work programs, both fields central to serving the surrounding Delta region's needs, alongside a range of other undergraduate offerings typical of a regional public HBCU.

Campus & student life

Mississippi Valley State carries a proud band and athletics tradition, competing in the SWAC, with a marching band culture that — as at many HBCUs — is as central to campus identity and game-day life as the football team itself. Jerry Rice, the NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver, is the university's most famous alumnus and a continuing source of institutional pride.

Worth knowing

The Delta setting is genuinely remote and rural, which shapes both the tight-knit character of campus life and the university's mission of serving a historically underserved part of Mississippi.

mvsu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate92.4%

Enrolled mid-50%ACT 13–17

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying