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Is Delta State University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Delta State, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Delta State sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $44,639 helps, but median debt of $19,487 plus yearly net price of $12,677 creates a tighter path. For context, Delta State's net price is about 2% above the typical 4-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$13,457
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $303 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $1,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$12,677
Median earnings 10 years out
$44,639
Median debt at graduation
$19,487
Graduation rate
49%
At Delta State, a typical graduate carries about $19,487 in student debt and earns roughly $44,639 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 6% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $17,277 more than the typical working high school graduate in Mississippi ($27,362) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
69% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Delta State is a public four year school in Cleveland, MS. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
Mississippi Valley State
Itta Bena, MS
Worth-It Score: 50/100
Median net price: $11,844
Public 4-year
University of Mississippi
University, MS
Worth-It Score: 76/100
Median net price: $13,752
Public 4-year
Mississippi University for Women
Columbus, MS
Worth-It Score: 65/100
Median net price: $11,452
Public 4-year
Alcorn State
Alcorn State, MS
Worth-It Score: 55/100
Median net price: $14,791
Public 4-year
Mississippi State
Mississippi State, MS
Worth-It Score: 66/100
Median net price: $18,781
Common questions about Delta State
The median net price at Delta State is $12,677 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in Mississippi? See the most affordable public universities in Mississippi →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at Delta State in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$14,021a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →