MSU Providing 4th Highest Cost-Of-Attendance Stipend Among 'Power 5' Schools

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, Mississippi State is one of only 5 schools that will offer more than $5,000 on an annual basis as a cost-of-attendance stipend. MSU will be giving athletes an additional $5,126 per year or $570 per month (using 9-month academic calendar).

The stipends are part of a new spending allowance that was approved by the 'Power 5' conferences earlier this year to cover more fully the cost of players' scholarships, specifically day-to-day living expenses. As television and sponsorship money has grown, scrutiny for the NCAA's "amateurism" policies has grown as well. This change was made to better distribute to the athletes themselves the large amounts of cash being made by NCAA football and basketball programs.

Not surprisingly, three of the top four and seven of the top twenty programs in COA stipend spending are in the Southeastern Conference. BYU and TCU are the highest paying private institutions, offering $4,700 and $4,500 per year, respectively. Other private schools' stipends were significantly smaller than most public universities. Notre Dame will be giving $1,950 annually and Boston College's $1,400 per year is the lowest stipend among all participating schools.

It is yet to be seen if this additional cash will provide a recruiting edge for schools that are paying larger amounts. The ability to pay from school to school varies widely and schools with greater funds will seemingly have a small leg up on the competition. We'll see in the very near future how the stipend effects recruiting, if it does at all, as Mississippi State and all other 'Power 5' schools will be able to provide these additional funds to their athletes starting in August.

Here are the top 10 schools and the SEC ranked by annual stipend amount:

Power 5

1. Tennessee: $5,666 per year ($630 per month)

2. Auburn: $5,586 ($621)

3. Louisville: $5,202 ($578)

4. Mississippi State: $5,126 ($570)

5. Texas Tech: $ $5,100 ($567)

6. Penn State: $4,788 ($532)

7. TCU: $4,700 ($522)

8. Oklahoma: $4,614 ($513)

9. Oklahoma State: $4,560 ($507)

T10. BYU: $4,500 ($500)

T10. Ole Miss: $4,500 ($500)

SEC

1. Tennessee: $5,666 per year ($630 per month)

2. Auburn: $5,586 ($621)

3. Mississippi State: $5,126 ($570)

4. Ole Miss: $4,500 ($500)

5. South Carolina: $4,151 ($461)

6. Arkansas: $4,002 ($445)

7. Missouri: $3,664 ($407)

8. Florida: $3,320 ($369)

9. LSU: $3,096 ($344)

10. Alabama: $2,892 ($321)

11. Vanderbilt: $2,780 ($309)

12. Texas A&M: $2,706 ($301)

13. Georgia: $2,598 ($289)

14. Kentucky: $2,284 ($254)

(H/T Vanquish The Foe)