Alcorn State University

Public · Selective · MS

Photo: Jack Boucher (HABS) (Public domain)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationMS · South

SettingRural

Undergrads2,363

Student:faculty16:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate49.3%

6-yr grad rate57.4%

Drop-out rate23.4%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$9k

Out-of-state tuition$9k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity98.4%

Gender diversity66.6%

International0.9%

IdentityHBCU

Overview

Alcorn State, in rural southwest Mississippi along the Mississippi River, is the oldest public historically Black land-grant university in the country, and that land-grant mission still defines much of its academic identity today. Agriculture remains central to the university's purpose, tied to a long history of serving Mississippi's rural and farming communities, and it has grown alongside solid programs in nursing, education, and business that serve the surrounding Delta region.

Academics

Agriculture and related sciences, including agribusiness and food science, carry the university's land-grant heritage forward, with research and extension work tied closely to Mississippi's rural communities and farming economy. Nursing and education are also well-established, producing graduates who serve the surrounding region's schools and hospitals, and class sizes tend to be small with close faculty contact, consistent with the university's overall scale and mission of personal attention.

Campus & student life

The rural setting makes campus itself the center of student life, with marching band, Greek life, and SWAC athletics anchoring the social calendar in the absence of a nearby city. Homecoming is a major event, drawing alumni back from across the state and beyond, and school pride runs deep given the university's long HBCU history and its identity as Mississippi's original land-grant institution for Black students.

Getting in

Alcorn's admissions process emphasizes access for Mississippi and regional students, with a straightforward application rather than a heavily essay-driven one, consistent with its land-grant mission of broad access to higher education. Agricultural and STEM interest can be a meaningful part of a student's application given the university's research mission in those areas.

After graduation

Agriculture and agribusiness graduates often move into extension work, farming operations, or federal agricultural agencies across the Mississippi Delta and beyond, while nursing and education graduates fill positions in the region's hospitals and schools. The alumni network is regionally concentrated but deeply loyal, especially around homecoming and SWAC athletics.

Worth knowing

Students interested in agriculture, food science, or related fields will find a program with genuine historical depth and land-grant research infrastructure that is unusual among HBCUs of similar size. The remote, rural setting means students should expect a genuinely self-contained campus experience without a nearby city to fall back on for internships or off-campus social life.

alcorn.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate45.3%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 670–998 · ACT 15–19

Test policyrequired

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying (2026-27 cycle)

Apply through Own application.

Priority / scholarshipApr 1

Verified from the school’s admissions pages ↗