Is Arkansas at Pine Bluff or Mississippi Valley State cheaper?

On published price, Mississippi Valley State is cheaper — about $16,024 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $26,151 at Arkansas at Pine Bluff. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.

Which school graduates more of its students, Arkansas at Pine Bluff or Mississippi Valley State?

Arkansas at Pine Bluff, at 40% against 22% at Mississippi Valley State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.

How do I contact the coaches at Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State?

Arkansas at Pine Bluff runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Mississippi Valley State, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Arkansas at Pine Bluff vs Mississippi Valley State: Softball Program Comparison

Two D1 programs in the SWAC. Mississippi Valley State runs $10,127 less per year out of state; Arkansas at Pine Bluff graduates 18 points more of its students.

Arkansas at Pine Bluff

SWAC

Pine Bluff, AR

Mississippi Valley State

SWAC

Itta Bena, MS

Which one is right for you?

Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.

Lean Arkansas at Pine Bluff if…

Finishing the degree is the priority: Arkansas at Pine Bluff graduates 18 percentage points more of its students than Mississippi Valley State.
You are weighing the degree as an investment: Arkansas at Pine Bluff graduates earn about $3,631 more per year a decade after enrolling.
You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Arkansas at Pine Bluff is $4,211 lower than at Mississippi Valley State.
Your transcript is a strength: Arkansas at Pine Bluff admits 41% of applicants, so strong grades count for more here.

Lean Mississippi Valley State if…

You are an out-of-state recruit and the number on the bill matters: Mississippi Valley State lists $10,127 less per year in tuition and housing than Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
You would be in-state: Mississippi Valley State is $1,107 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Admissions is the part you are least sure about: Mississippi Valley State admits 92% of applicants.

What it costs to go there

Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.

What it costs to go there: Arkansas at Pine Bluff compared with Mississippi Valley State
Measure	Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Mississippi Valley State
In-state tuition & fees	$9,019	$7,912 — Mississippi Valley State leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition
Out-of-state tuition & fees	$17,029	$7,912 — Mississippi Valley State leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition
Room & board	$9,122	$8,112 — Mississippi Valley State leads on this measure: lower room & board
Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$18,141	$16,024 — Mississippi Valley State leads on this measure: lower total in-state cost
Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid.	$26,151	$16,024 — Mississippi Valley State leads on this measure: lower total out-of-state cost

What you leave with

Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.

What you leave with: Arkansas at Pine Bluff compared with Mississippi Valley State
Measure	Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Mississippi Valley State
Graduation rate	40% — Arkansas at Pine Bluff leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree	22%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry	$35,550/yr — Arkansas at Pine Bluff leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out	$31,919/yr
Median debt at graduation	$24,202 — Arkansas at Pine Bluff leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door	$28,413
Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back.	68% — Arkansas at Pine Bluff leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn	89%

Getting in, and what you'd walk into

Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.

Getting in, and what you'd walk into: Arkansas at Pine Bluff compared with Mississippi Valley State
Measure	Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Mississippi Valley State
Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit.	41%	92%
Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table.	2,100	2,196
Where it is	Pine Bluff, AR	Itta Bena, MS

The softball program itself

Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.

The softball program itself: Arkansas at Pine Bluff compared with Mississippi Valley State
Measure	Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Mississippi Valley State
NCAA tournament, 2021-2026Furthest round reached each year. Division I only.	None since 2021	None since 2021
Head coach	Michael Bumpers	Taliyah Riddick-Waters

How you actually get in front of them

Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.

How you actually get in front of them: Arkansas at Pine Bluff compared with Mississippi Valley State
Measure	Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Mississippi Valley State
Recruiting questionnaire	Yes	—

Scholarship money, honestly

Both programs sit at NCAA Division I, so the scholarship rules are identical: up to 25 (2025 roster rules; traditionally 12). Full rides exist at the top programs, but most D1 softball players are on partial scholarships. Coaches historically split about 12 equivalencies across an entire roster, and even under the 2025 rules most programs fund well below the 25-scholarship maximum.

How D1 softball scholarships actually work →

What to do about it this week

Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.

Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Open the recruiting questionnaire

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Mississippi Valley State

Find the recruiting questionnaire

We do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.

Camps we track

None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.

Arkansas at Pine Bluff vs Mississippi Valley State: common questions

Is Arkansas at Pine Bluff or Mississippi Valley State cheaper?: On published price, Mississippi Valley State is cheaper — about $16,024 a year out of state in tuition and housing, against $26,151 at Arkansas at Pine Bluff. That is sticker price; athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off it, so ask both coaches what an actual offer would look like.
Which school graduates more of its students, Arkansas at Pine Bluff or Mississippi Valley State?: Arkansas at Pine Bluff, at 40% against 22% at Mississippi Valley State (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
Do Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State offer softball scholarships?: Both play at NCAA Division I: up to 25 (2025 roster rules; traditionally 12). Full rides exist at the top programs, but most D1 softball players are on partial scholarships. Coaches historically split about 12 equivalencies across an entire roster, and even under the 2025 rules most programs fund well below the 25-scholarship maximum.
How do I contact the coaches at Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State?: Arkansas at Pine Bluff runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Mississippi Valley State, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.

Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.

We work hard to keep all data for Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Mississippi Valley State accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.

Still deciding between them?

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Full Arkansas at Pine Bluff program page →Full Mississippi Valley State program page →

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