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State profile · 56 colleges · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Colleges in Mississippi

Colleges in Mississippi from PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, compared on acceptance, cost, and 10-year former-student earnings.

56
Colleges
$33,568
Avg 10-yr earnings (49 of 56)
75.0%
Avg acceptance

Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.

Mississippi · the picture in one line

Mississippi's 49 of 56 colleges that report earnings average $33,568 in 10-year former-student earnings - 52nd highest of 56 states and territories that report.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

#52
of 56 states by avg former-student earnings
$53,848
top earnings - Millsaps College
75.0%
avg acceptance (17 reporting)
28 / 9 / 19
public / nonprofit / for-profit

Best earnings-to-cost value among Mississippi colleges with reported figures: University of Mississippi.

Mississippi · enrollment ≠ earnings

In Mississippi, University of Mississippi leads by undergraduate enrollment (21,473 students, #1 of 44) but ranks #3 of 44 on 10-year median earnings ($50,994), while Millsaps College tops earnings at $53,848 (#1 of 44) with 549 students (#30 of 44). The biggest campus is not always the highest-paying outcome.

According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

21,473
University of enrollment #1
$53,848
Millsaps College earnings #1
#1
Enrollment rank of earnings leader
#3
Earnings rank of enrollment leader

Enrollment is IPEDS fall headcount; earnings are Scorecard 10-year medians for federally aided former students. Different populations, not one ROI ratio.

Enrollment of Mississippi's #1 campuses by size vs earnings

Same unit (undergraduate students) for both named leaders.

students

What this shows University of Mississippi is largest by enrollment; Millsaps College leads on 10-year earnings at $53,848.

Source IPEDS via College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

This page aggregates colleges and universities in Mississippi returned by PlainCollege's U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard snapshot. It combines IPEDS-derived institutional fields with Treasury-derived earnings published for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.

The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in Mississippi as a single denominator, community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.

The Scorecard data used here was retrieved in March–July 2026. That retrieval window is not the measurement year: tuition and enrollment fields retain their source reporting periods, while 10-year institution earnings describe federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, a decade after entry.

Largest Colleges in Mississippi by Enrollment

IPEDS Fall enrollment via College Scorecard.

students

What this shows Enrollment size reflects institutional scale, not quality or on-campus experience - a large school here can still be a small, selective program relative to its state peers.

Source IPEDS As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Highest Earnings, 10-Year Median: Mississippi

U.S. Treasury earnings linkage via College Scorecard.

USD

What this shows Former-student earnings vary by program mix and local labor market as much as by the school itself; this comparison does not isolate a school's causal effect.

Source College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

The ROI lens

Mississippi colleges: earnings vs. cost

Mississippi colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price Two-by-two quadrant chart: x-axis median earnings 10 years after enrollment, y-axis average net price after financial aid. Each dot is a college, colored by completion within 150% of normal time (garnet ≥65%, amber 45-64%, red <45%). Net price increases upward, earnings increase rightward, so: bottom-right = best value (low cost, high earnings); top-right = premium (high cost, high earnings); bottom-left = community college tier (low cost, modest earnings); top-left = cost challenge (high cost, low earnings). Currently plotting 14 colleges. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard joined to Carnegie Classification. Mississippi colleges, positioned by earnings vs net price COST CHALLENGE PREMIUM COMMUNITY BEST VALUE $26K $54K Median Earnings 10 Years After Enrollment ($) $3K $29K Avg Net Price ($) University of Mississippi: $51K earn · $13K net · 70% grad University of Miss… Mississippi State University: $52K earn · $18K net · 65% grad Mississippi State … University of Southern Mississippi: $44K earn · $22K net · 50% grad University of Sout… Hinds Community College: $31K earn · $4K net · 43% grad Hinds Community Co… Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College: $33K earn · $7K net · 47% grad Mississippi Gulf C… Northwest Mississippi Community College: $36K earn · $8K net · 44% grad Northwest Mississi… Pearl River Community College: $33K earn · $7K net · 36% grad Jackson State University: $39K earn · $24K net · 41% grad Itawamba Community College: $33K earn · $5K net · 48% grad Holmes Community College: $33K earn · $6K net · 42% grad Jones County Junior College: $33K earn · $6K net · 38% grad East Mississippi Community College: $34K earn · $5K net · 44% grad Northeast Mississippi Community College: $34K earn · $8K net · 35% grad Mississippi Christian University: $47K earn · $28K net · 61% grad Grad rate (4yr) ≥65% 45-64% <45%
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education

National context

How Mississippi ranks among the states

Mississippi's average 10-year earnings of $33,568 place it in the 7th percentile among all 56 states and territories tracked by the College Scorecard.

Mississippi: average former-student earnings vs. every state

State-average 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

$33,568 7th percentile higher than 7% of 56 states & territories

$24,000–$28,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Below this entry. $28,000–$32,000: 1 states & territories (2%). Below this entry. $32,000–$36,000: 3 states & territories (5%). This entry sits in this band. $36,000–$40,000: 12 states & territories (21%). Above this entry. $40,000–$44,000: 14 states & territories (25%). Above this entry. $44,000–$48,000: 10 states & territories (18%). Above this entry. $48,000–$52,000: 7 states & territories (13%). Above this entry. $52,000–$56,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. $56,000–$60,000: 3 states & territories (5%). Above this entry. MS $24,000 $60,000 every state, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more states & territories. 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, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals

Mississippi vs. every state, at a glance
EarningsAffordabilityOptionsAccess

Each axis is this state's percentile among all states & territories on that metric (Earnings/Affordability/Options/Access) -- not a composite grade, just four independent comparisons in one shape.

School type matters

How school type shapes earnings in Mississippi

Average 10-year former-student earnings by institution type. Program mix, selectivity, student background, and local labor markets all contribute to the observed gaps, so read this beside each school's own figures.

Average former-student earnings by school type - Mississippi

Mean of per-school 10-year median earnings, College Scorecard

avg earnings

What this shows Keeping schools within one state reduces some regional variation, but this descriptive comparison does not control for program mix, selection, or student background.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard As of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
56
Total Schools
$9,100
Avg In-State Tuition (37 of 56)
75.0%
Avg Acceptance Rate (17 of 56)
$33,568
Avg Median Earnings (49 of 56)
28 Public 9 Private NP 19 For-Profit
Ownership Breakdown

What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in Mississippi

PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset contains 56 postsecondary institutions in Mississippi. The ownership mix is 28 public institutions, 9 private nonprofits, and 19 private for-profit schools. Public institutions often report lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits may show higher sticker prices partly offset by institutional aid.

Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition among the 37 of 56 Mississippi institutions that report one is $9,100, and the average admission rate among the 17 that report one sits at 75.0%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.

Institution-level earnings connect cost to one observed outcome. Among the 49 of 56 Mississippi colleges that report 10-year median earnings, federally aided former students show a mean of $33,568, based on Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study, student background, and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts institutions with reported IPEDS enrollment so users can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side.

All Schools in Mississippi

School Name City Type Enrollment Acceptance Rate 10yr Earnings
University of Mississippi University Public 21,473 96.6% $50,994
Mississippi State University Mississippi State Public 18,397 77.6% $51,513
University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Public 10,075 99.1% $44,140
Hinds Community College Raymond Public 6,397 - $30,774
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston Public 6,353 - $33,017
Northwest Mississippi Community College Senatobia Public 5,452 - $36,396
Pearl River Community College Poplarville Public 4,903 - $33,019
Jackson State University Jackson Public 4,600 93.2% $39,060
Itawamba Community College Fulton Public 4,167 - $32,912
Holmes Community College Goodman Public 3,958 - $32,922
Jones County Junior College Ellisville Public 3,535 - $33,377
East Mississippi Community College Scooba Public 2,838 - $33,772
Northeast Mississippi Community College Booneville Public 2,698 - $34,081
Mississippi Christian University Clinton Private NP 2,518 29.1% $47,485
Alcorn State University Alcorn State Public 2,363 45.3% $36,421
Delta Technical College-Mississippi Horn Lake For-Profit 2,307 - $33,601
William Carey University Hattiesburg Private NP 2,201 60.3% $43,087
Meridian Community College Meridian Public 2,156 - $31,002
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson Public 1,922 - $31,241
Delta State University Cleveland Public 1,620 100.0% $41,991
Mississippi University for Women Columbus Public 1,605 90.3% $46,128
East Central Community College Decatur Public 1,520 - $32,421
Southwest Mississippi Community College Summit Public 1,474 - $33,227
Belhaven University Jackson Private NP 1,471 49.8% $46,440
Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena Public 1,439 92.4% $31,919
Mississippi Delta Community College Moorhead Public 1,413 - $28,421
Coahoma Community College Clarksdale Public 1,144 - $24,289
Strayer University-Mississippi Jackson For-Profit 882 - $40,092
Tougaloo College Tougaloo Private NP 639 59.9% $34,724
Millsaps College Jackson Private NP 549 43.1% $53,848
Blue Mountain Christian University Blue Mountain Private NP 498 88.9% $40,421
Rust College Holly Springs Private NP 467 48.7% $32,275
Blue Cliff College-Gulfport Gulfport For-Profit 200 - $22,177
Concorde Career College-Southaven Southaven For-Profit 115 100.0% $31,599
Traxlers School of Hair Jackson For-Profit 98 - $16,249
Southeastern Baptist College Laurel Private NP 93 100.0% $26,946
Corinth Academy of Cosmetology Corinth For-Profit 90 - $25,685
Mississippi Institute of Aesthetics Nails & Cosmetology Clinton For-Profit 77 - $28,148
Chris Beauty College Gulfport For-Profit 73 - $18,468
Mississippi Barber Academy Jackson For-Profit 71 - $22,284
Vaughn Beauty College Aberdeen For-Profit 63 - -
KC's School of Hair Design Pontotoc For-Profit 58 - -
Hatfield's Mississippi College of Beauty Culture Laurel For-Profit 57 - $13,849
Academy of Hair Design-Pearl Pearl For-Profit 43 - $19,921
The Academy of Hair Design Six Hattiesburg For-Profit 37 - $22,706
C N K Barber College Tupelo For-Profit 31 - -
Unlimited Cosmetology School Hattiesburg For-Profit 29 - -
Wesley Biblical Seminary Ridgeland Private NP 24 - -
Fosters Cosmetology College Ripley For-Profit 23 - -
Academy of Hair Design-Grenada Grenada For-Profit 21 - $22,284
Upper Kutz Barber & Style College Greenville For-Profit 17 - -
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Simpson County Center Mendenhall Public - - $31,241
Copiah-Lincoln Community College-Natchez Campus Natchez Public - - $31,241
University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson Public - - $50,994
Pearl River Community College-Forrest County Campus Hattiesburg Public - - $33,019
PRCC Hancock Aviation Aerospace Workforce Academy Kiln Public - - $33,019

Featured Colleges in Mississippi

Quick picks from this state – compare two schools side by side

University of Mississippi
University, MS
21,473 students
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, MS
18,397 students
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
10,075 students
Hinds Community College
Raymond, MS
6,397 students
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston, MS
6,353 students
Compare University of Mississippi vs Mississippi State University →

Explore more Mississippi data

Highest-earning colleges → Best value colleges → ROI calculator → Compare states →

Guides & Resources

Is College Worth It?

A data-driven answer using earnings and cost data.

How to Compare Colleges

A framework for picking schools with data, not rankings alone.

Financial Aid & Net Price

How net price differs from sticker price and financial aid.

Understanding College Earnings Data

How Scorecard earnings figures are measured and their limits.

About This Data

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, PlainCollege's current snapshots were retrieved in March–July 2026. This state's institution-level figures come from the July retrieval, including IPEDS-derived characteristics. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year, using U.S. Treasury-derived records published through the Scorecard.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

What this means for Mississippi applicants

  • Mississippi has 56 colleges in PlainCollege's Scorecard dataset, spanning community colleges, public flagships, and private institutions.
  • Average reported admission rate across Mississippi colleges is 75.0% - individual schools vary widely, check each profile for its own rate.
  • State-level averages pool every reporting institution together; run a specific school's numbers before assuming the state figure applies to it.Use the ROI calculator

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or educational advice. State-level averages pool every reporting institution and do not predict any individual school's outcome.

Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. State-level rollups are computed directly from College Scorecard and IPEDS 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 on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.