Public · Alcorn State, Mississippi

Alcorn State University

Alcorn State University is a public institution in Alcorn State, Mississippi. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.

$13,265
Avg net price / yr
$36,421
10-yr median earnings
51.2%
150%-time completion
45.3%
Acceptance rate

The verdict

Alcorn State University pairs modest former-student earnings with a selective admit.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

36th pct.
former-student earnings, US
45.3%
acceptance rate
51.2%
150%-time completion
+31%
earnings, 6→10 yrs
Rural: Remote Carnegie: Master's (S)
View my saved schools

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

How to read this Alcorn State University profile

Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.

Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.

Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.

College Value Score

D
College Value Score
41/100
Alcorn State University

A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.

Earnings F
$36,421
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price B-
$13,265
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate D
51.2%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$27,000
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment D
54.1%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention C-
76.6%
First-year students returning for year two
Alcorn State University vs. the national benchmark
EarningsNet PriceCompletionDebtRepaymentRetention

Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.

10-yr median earnings

$36,421

Federal aid recipients only

Avg net price

$13,265

After grants and scholarships

150%-time completion

51.2%

Full-time, first-time cohort

150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 51.2%

Four-year-institution cohort

College ROI Quadrant - Alcorn State University vs peers

Alcorn State University positioned by earnings vs cost Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 7 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Alcorn State University positioned by earnin… Carnegie Classification: Master's (S) Master's (… COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $26K $48K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $14K Avg Net Price ($) Alcorn State University (you are here): $36K earn · $13K net · 51% grad You are here - Alcorn State Unive… Meridian Community College: $31K earn · $6K net · 39% grad Meridian Community… Northeast Mississippi Community College: $34K earn · $8K net · 35% grad Northeast Mississi… Copiah-Lincoln Community College: $31K earn · $4K net · 51% grad Copiah-Lincoln Com… East Mississippi Community College: $34K earn · $5K net · 44% grad East Mississippi C… Delta State University: $42K earn · $14K net · 47% grad Delta State Univer… Mississippi University for Women: $46K earn · $12K net · 42% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.

How Alcorn State University ranks nationally

Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.

Alcorn State University: former-student earnings vs. every US college

10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$36,421 36th percentile higher than 36% of 5,103 US colleges

$0–$20,000: 169 US colleges (3%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 2,245 US colleges (44%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 1,897 US colleges (37%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 606 US colleges (12%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 134 US colleges (3%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 39 US colleges (1%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 11 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 2 US colleges (0%). Above this entry. This college $0 $160,000 every US college, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Metric Alcorn State University National rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $36,421 #3282 of 5103 36th
Average net price $13,265 #1756 of 5020 65th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 51.2% #2878 of 4858 41st
Undergraduate enrollment 2,363 #1330 of 5462 76th

National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.

Quick Facts

2,363
Undergraduate enrollment
45.3%
Acceptance rate
904
SAT average
51.2%
150%-time completion
$36,421
10-yr median earnings
76.6%
First-year retention

How Alcorn State University ranks in Mississippi

State rank among 49 reporting Mississippi colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.

Metric Alcorn State University State rank Percentile
10-yr median earnings $36,421 #14 of 49 71st
Average net price $13,265 #25 of 49 49th (lower is better)
150%-time completion 51.2% #16 of 42 62nd
Undergraduate enrollment 2,363 #15 of 51 71st

Highest former-student earnings in Mississippi

#School10-yr earningsNet price
1Millsaps College$53,848$26,034
2Mississippi State University$51,513$17,595
3University of Mississippi$50,994$13,314
4University of Mississippi Medical Center$50,994-
5Mississippi Christian University$47,485$27,712
6Belhaven University$46,440$15,676
7Mississippi University for Women$46,128$12,411
8University of Southern Mississippi$44,140$21,708
9William Carey University$43,087$14,258
10Delta State University$41,991$13,540
11Blue Mountain Christian University$40,421$24,016
12Strayer University-Mississippi$40,092-
14Alcorn State UniversityThis school$36,421$13,265

Admissions

Admission Rate 45.3%
SAT Average 904
SAT Math (25th-75th) 270 – 485
SAT Reading (25th-75th) 400 – 513
ACT Average 22
ACT (25th-75th) 15 – 19
0%100%45.3%
Share of applicants admitted

Costs & Financial Aid

Net price by family income at Alcorn State University

Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket

net price / yr

What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at Alcorn State University - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Tuition & Net Price

In-State Tuition $8,785
Out-of-State Tuition $8,785
Average Net Price $13,265
69.8%
Pell Grant Rate
66.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$27,000
Median Debt
$286/mo
Monthly Payment

Net price at Alcorn State University swings rather than trends

Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $13,360 to $17,838 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +5.1%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.

Lowest year
$13,360
Highest year
$17,838
Most recent (2023)
$14,040
Average net price, 2013–2023

11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

2013: $13,3602014: $15,1122015: $14,8382016: $14,7712017: $15,3882018: $14,3522019: $14,8362020: $17,8382021: $16,2062022: $14,6572023: $14,040
2013 · $13,3602023 · $14,040

Over the same years, enrollment went -27.5% (3,157 → 2,290 students).

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.

Student Demographics

Race & ethnicity

Student body at a glance

62.2%
Female
34.5%
First Generation

Outcomes

76.6%
Retention Rate
$27,752
Median Earnings (6yr)
43.6%
Earning Over $25K
54.1%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)

Outcomes & debt snapshot

Measure Cohort / horizon Value
Completion within 150% of normal time First-time, full-time 51.2%
First-year retention First-time, full-time freshmen 76.6%
Median earnings 6 years after entry $27,752
Median earnings 10 years after entry $36,421
Share earning over $25,000 Working, not enrolled 43.6%
Loan repayment rate Completers, 3 years after leaving 54.1%
Median federal student debt At completion $27,000
Estimated monthly payment Standard 10-year plan $286/mo

Programs & Earnings

Field-of-study summary by credential

Credential Programs Award count Avg earnings Top earnings Avg debt
Bachelor's 14 448 $50,190 $93,159 $27,418
Master's 4 66 $48,253 $59,085 $75,002
Associate's 1 23 - - $19,000

Top programs at Alcorn State University by completer earnings

Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file

median earnings

What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Program Credential Completers Median Earnings Median Debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Bachelor's 39 $93,159 $20,375
Agricultural Business and Management Bachelor's 29 $62,499 $25,125
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Bachelor's - $59,214 $29,125
Business Administration, Management and Operations Master's 8 $59,085 $59,845
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods Master's 53 $47,985 $85,750
Social Work Bachelor's 18 $46,157 $31,250
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities Bachelor's 60 $42,321 $29,500
Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's 19 $41,908 $27,000
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness Bachelor's 11 $41,403 $25,500
Biology, General Bachelor's 113 $40,379 $27,405
Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's 42 $39,841 $26,611
Basic Skills and Developmental/Remedial Education Master's - $37,690 $79,412
Psychology, General Bachelor's 29 $35,015 $27,000
Agriculture, General Bachelor's 24 - $25,250
Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's 23 - $28,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at Alcorn State University?
Alcorn State University is a public institution in Alcorn State, Mississippi. The acceptance rate is 45.3%. The average SAT score is 904. Undergraduate enrollment is 2,363 students.
How much do Alcorn State University former students earn?
Federally aided former students at Alcorn State University who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $36,421 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $27,752.
How much does Alcorn State University cost?
The average net price at Alcorn State University is $13,265. In-state tuition is $8,785 and out-of-state tuition is $8,785. Median student debt at graduation is $27,000.
What is the graduation rate at Alcorn State University?
Alcorn State University has a 51.2% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 76.6%.
Is Alcorn State University worth the student debt?
The median student debt at Alcorn State University is $27,000, while former students earn a median of $36,421 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 74% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 54.1% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $286.

Sources & methodology

Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.

Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Where to go next from Alcorn State University

Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.