Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) vs University of West Alabama (UWA)

Mississippi Valley State University and the University of West Alabama, both public institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. Mississippi Valley State University, located in Itta Bena, Mississippi, boasts a higher acceptance rate (89%) compared to the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama (79%). While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, Mississippi Valley State University excels in Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Education, while the University of West Alabama is renowned for its strong programs in Business, Management, and Marketing. The student body demographics also vary, with Mississippi Valley State University having a predominantly African American student population (91%) and the University of West Alabama having a more diverse student body (54% White, 36% African American). Additionally, Mississippi Valley State University has a slightly higher graduation rate (38%) compared to the University of West Alabama (35%). Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about
Mississippi Valley State University logo

Mississippi Valley State University

University of West Alabama logo

University of West Alabama

Overview

Location Itta Bena, Mississippi Livingston, Alabama
Campus setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 59.0% 63.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 78.6% 74.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $40
SAT range N/A 880 - 980
ACT range 14 - 18 17 - 21
Students submitting SAT score 2.0%
Students submitting ACT score 74.0% 69.0%
Total number of applicants 3,155 1,539
Total number of admissions given out 2,480 1,144
Admitted students who chose to enroll 199 351
Yield rate 8.0% 30.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $22,070
In state: $22,911

Out of state: $32,011
Average net price $10,320 $15,435
Tuition $7,048
In state: $9,100

Out of state: $18,200
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,386

Meal plan: $3,612
Room/dormitory: $4,760

Meal plan: $2,834
Available payment plans
  • Prepaid tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $9,995
89.0%
Average amount $7,129
Students receiving federal student loan 72.0%
Average amount $5,764
65.0%
Average amount $5,418
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $7,608
3.0%
Average amount $8,357

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,714
Men 42.2% Women 57.8%
2,322
Men 30.6% Women 69.4%
Graduate students 350
Men 32.6% Women 67.4%
3,272
Men 20.0% Women 80.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students N/A 2.0%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Rural: Remote
Dormitory capacity 944 1,019
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Liberal Arts
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
  • Communication and Journalism
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 27.1% 39.1%
Dropout rate 71.5% 21.5%
Transferred out N/A 36.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $38,586
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,211
  • Year 2: $33,007
  • Year 3: $32,318
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $31,600
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $26,850
  • Year 3: $27,434
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: $26,830
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,192
  • Year 3: $25,417
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $19,592
  • Year 3: $24,101
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $17,334
  • Year 3: $19,675
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $24,421
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,363
  • Year 2: $61,681
  • Year 3: $64,667
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,130
  • Year 2: $53,942
  • Year 3: $55,799
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,682
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $54,452
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,975
  • Year 2: $48,510
  • Year 3: $51,622
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,470
  • Year 2: $46,380
  • Year 3: $48,647
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,701
  • Year 2: $46,261
  • Year 3: $47,958
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,803
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $47,734
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,054
  • Year 3: $35,960
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $32,711
  • Year 3: N/A
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,983
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: N/A

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