Mississippi State, MS · Clery Act 2023 · Public

Mississippi State University

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 22,657-student campus.

2.74
Incidents / 1k students
#2,200
Rank of 3,050
#24
MS rank
22,657
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

Mississippi State University reports 2.74 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,200 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 72% of ranked campuses its size.

2.74
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,200
of 3,050 ranked nationally
72%
report fewer incidents than this campus
30
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

+6 reported incidents

Mississippi State University increased from 24 to 30 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

Mississippi State University is a Public institution located in Mississippi State, MS, enrolling approximately 22,657 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 84 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within MS, it ranks #24 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 22,657 enrolled students, this campus sits in the large research university bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at Mississippi State University is "Rape" with 40 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in MS averaging 4.35 incidents per 1,000 students, Mississippi State University reports 37% fewer incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 1 total fire. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 18 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

2.74 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2200

See peer comparison

State Rank (MS)

#24

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

30

across 11 crime categories

Where Mississippi State University sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

3 safer than 28% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). This entry sits in this band. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Above this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). Above this entry. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Above this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. 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, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

Mississippi State University percentile rank 27.9%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2200 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

Mississippi State University reports 37% fewer incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$10,202
Out-of-State Tuition
$27,637
Avg Net Price
$17,595
Median Debt
$22,142
Pell Grant Recipients
29%
How does this cost rank in MS? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
78%
SAT Average
1219
SAT Math Range
540–680
ACT Average
26
ACT Range
21–29

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
65%
Retention Rate
83%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$43,487
Median Earnings (10yr)
$51,513
Loan Repayment (3yr)
78%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Enrollment scale

How campus size shapes the safety figures

With 22,657 enrolled students, Mississippi State University is in the largest 3% of the 5,673 institutions in this dataset with a reported enrollment. The safety score above already normalizes reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students, so compare it with similarly sized campuses instead of treating a higher raw count as evidence that a campus is less safe. Use the annual crime table to see what was reported, then use the peer comparison to judge the rate against schools of a similar scale. A lower reported rate is not a guarantee of individual safety or a measure of reporting quality.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

Mississippi State University: on-campus incidents by year

Stable 0% (30 → 30 incidents)

222426283032 202120222023 30 30 ▲ +0.0%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 000
Arson 000
Burglary 812
Fondling 589
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 730
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Rape 101218
Robbery 001
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 1 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

18 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
18 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 27 22
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 8 112
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 9 4
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 29 42
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 20 97
Weapons 2022 0 0
Weapons 2022 6 0
Drugs 2021 0 0
Drugs 2021 28 54
Liquor 2021 0 0
Liquor 2021 0 124
Weapons 2021 0 0
Weapons 2021 2 1

Mississippi State University vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

MS

Mississippi State University

2.74 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,200
Enrollment
22,657
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

University of New Mexico-Main Campus
Albuquerque, NM · 22,700 enrolled
Safety Score 15.02
Montclair State University
Montclair, NJ · 22,570 enrolled
Safety Score 2.39
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA · 22,758 enrolled
Safety Score 1.54
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, NC · 22,763 enrolled
Safety Score 0.04
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA · 22,541 enrolled
Safety Score 2.75

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest Mississippi State University nationally (rank #2200), regardless of size or state.

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Wake Forest, NC
National Rank #2199
SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Canton, NY
National Rank #2201
Highline College
Des Moines, WA
National Rank #2198
The University of Montana-Western
Dillon, MT
National Rank #2202
Notre Dame of Maryland University
Baltimore, MD
National Rank #2197

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mississippi State University safe?
Mississippi State University has a safety score of 2.74 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,200 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at Mississippi State University?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does Mississippi State University compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in MS.
Does Mississippi State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Mississippi State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.

Understanding Mississippi State University's Safety Profile

Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS enrolls 22,657 students and has a safety score of 2.74 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2200 nationally.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 24 in 2022 to 30 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.

What this means for you

Mississippi State University's 2.74 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.