US CollegesColleges in Mississippi: cost, admission and results
32 degree-granting colleges and universities in Mississippi, with the admission rate, net price, graduation rate and earnings of each. The largest are University of Mississippi (21,473 undergraduates), Mississippi State University (18,397 undergraduates), University of Southern Mississippi (10,075 undergraduates).
Mississippi at a glance
- Colleges on this site
- 32
- Public / private nonprofit / for-profit
- 22 / 9 / 1
- Median in-state tuition and fees
- $8,214
- Median net price a year
- $11,006
- Median admission rate
- 83%
- Median graduation rate
- 49%
- Median earnings 10 years on
- $38,159
No college in this list matches.
| College | Admission rate | Net price a year | Graduation rate | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State UniversityAlcorn State, MS · Public | 45% | $14,791 | 49% | $40,721 |
| Belhaven UniversityJackson, MS · Private nonprofit | 50% | $18,078 | 61% | $50,101 |
| Blue Mountain Christian UniversityBlue Mountain, MS · Private nonprofit | 89% | $26,306 | 42% | $42,093 |
| Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeWesson, MS · Public | not reported | $3,733 | 58% | $35,887 |
| Delta State UniversityCleveland, MS · Public | 100% | $12,677 | 49% | $44,639 |
| East Central Community CollegeDecatur, MS · Public | not reported | $5,533 | 42% | $38,159 |
| East Mississippi Community CollegeScooba, MS · Public | not reported | $3,276 | 43% | $36,436 |
| Hinds Community CollegeRaymond, MS · Public | not reported | $7,424 | 36% | $34,678 |
| Holmes Community CollegeGoodman, MS · Public | not reported | $4,920 | 51% | $36,492 |
| Itawamba Community CollegeFulton, MS · Public | not reported | $2,729 | 59% | $38,047 |
| Jackson State UniversityJackson, MS · Public | 93% | $34,119 | 43% | $42,075 |
| Jones County Junior CollegeEllisville, MS · Public | not reported | $5,252 | 40% | $37,426 |
| Meridian Community CollegeMeridian, MS · Public | not reported | $6,473 | 39% | $37,318 |
| Millsaps CollegeJackson, MS · Private nonprofit | 43% | $25,728 | 58% | $65,503 |
| Mississippi Christian UniversityClinton, MS · Private nonprofit | 29% | $21,034 | 64% | $54,122 |
| Mississippi Delta Community CollegeMoorhead, MS · Public | not reported | $36 | 31% | $33,054 |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegePerkinston, MS · Public | not reported | $7,502 | 47% | $38,144 |
| Mississippi State UniversityMississippi State, MS · Public | 78% | $18,781 | 69% | $54,296 |
| Mississippi University for WomenColumbus, MS · Public | 90% | $11,452 | 53% | $52,685 |
| Mississippi Valley State UniversityItta Bena, MS · Public | 92% | $11,844 | 23% | $36,621 |
| Northeast Mississippi Community CollegeBooneville, MS · Public | not reported | $6,765 | 45% | $37,829 |
| Northwest Mississippi Community CollegeSenatobia, MS · Public | not reported | $10,559 | 48% | $40,980 |
| Pearl River Community CollegePoplarville, MS · Public | not reported | $5,878 | 38% | $37,204 |
| Rust CollegeHolly Springs, MS · Private nonprofit | 49% | $13,314 | 11% | $35,151 |
| Southeastern Baptist CollegeLaurel, MS · Private nonprofit | 100% | $8,354 | 19% | $21,410 |
| Southwest Mississippi Community CollegeSummit, MS · Public | not reported | $3,318 | 57% | $35,534 |
| Strayer University-MississippiJackson, MS · Private for-profit | not reported | not reported | not reported | $44,016 |
| Tougaloo CollegeTougaloo, MS · Private nonprofit | 60% | $20,702 | 58% | $41,624 |
| University of MississippiUniversity, MS · Public | 97% | $13,752 | 70% | $59,112 |
| University of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MS · Public | 99% | $21,172 | 54% | $47,355 |
| Wesley Biblical SeminaryRidgeland, MS · Private nonprofit | not reported | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| William Carey UniversityHattiesburg, MS · Private nonprofit | 60% | $13,507 | 57% | $46,286 |
"Not reported" means the Department of Education has no figure, often because the college is small, new, or does not take first-time students. Medians are the middle value of the colleges listed here.
The colleges of Mississippi in brief
Of the 32 colleges listed for Mississippi, 22 are public, 9 are private nonprofit and 1 is private for-profit. By level, 17 mainly award bachelor's degrees and 15 mainly award two-year associate degrees. Together they teach about 119,700 undergraduates, 92% of them at public colleges. The three largest, University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and University of Southern Mississippi, hold 42% of the total, and the middle-sized college has 2,178 undergraduates. The towns with the most colleges are Jackson (4) and Hattiesburg (2).
What college costs in Mississippi
At the public colleges, the median published tuition and fees are $4,630 a year for students from Mississippi and $7,425 for students from elsewhere. At the private nonprofit colleges the median is $15,900. Published prices are not what most families pay. Counting colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the lowest average net price after grants is at Mississippi Delta Community College ($36) and Itawamba Community College ($2,729) and the highest at Jackson State University ($34,119) and Blue Mountain Christian University ($26,306). The median net price across the state, $11,006, is 37% below the national median of $17,357.
Getting in
16 of the 32 colleges report an admission rate. The hardest to get into are Mississippi Christian University (29% admitted), Millsaps College (43% admitted) and Alcorn State University (45% admitted). 9 of them admit at least seven applicants in ten. 15 colleges have an open admission policy and report no rate: they do not turn applicants away on grades or test scores.
Finishing and earning
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, the highest share of students finishing their course is at University of Mississippi (70%), Mississippi State University (69%) and Mississippi Christian University (64%). The median graduation rate of the state's colleges is 49%, against 49% for the country. Ten years after starting, former students with federal aid earn the most at Millsaps College ($65,503), University of Mississippi ($59,112) and Mississippi State University ($54,296). The state median for that measure is $38,159, 28% below the national $53,132. Students who finish leave with a median federal loan debt of $18,930 (national median $19,994). Earnings follow the subjects a college teaches as much as its quality, so compare like with like.
Questions about colleges in Mississippi
How many colleges are there in Mississippi?
This site lists 32 open, degree-granting colleges and universities in Mississippi, out of 3,161 on the whole site. Schools that mainly give short certificates are not counted.
What is the largest college in Mississippi?
University of Mississippi in University, with about 21,473 undergraduate students.
Which college in Mississippi has the lowest net price?
Among colleges with at least 300 undergraduates, Mississippi Delta Community College: students with federal aid paid an average of $36 a year after grants. Students from other states or countries usually pay more.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education, data released on 2 November 2026; checked in November 2026. Net price, debt and earnings describe students who received US federal aid. Costs change each year. This is official data for general information, not advice: confirm costs and admission rules on the college's own website and at collegescorecard.ed.gov.