State Rankings

Best Colleges in Mississippi

Top colleges in Mississippi ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes, updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 36

Avg grad earnings: $36,883

Public / Private: 28 / 8

Top Colleges in Mississippi

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #	School	Type	Grad Earnings	Admit Rate	SAT Avg	Grad Rate	Out-of-State
1	Mississippi State University Mississippi State#521 national	Public	$51,513	76.3%	1,220	62.9%	$26,580
2	University of Mississippi University#636 national	Public	$50,994	97.8%	1,187	68.5%	$26,980
3	Mississippi College Clinton#675 national	Private	$47,485	48.9%	1,120	62.8%	$21,698
4	Millsaps College Jackson#765 national	Private	$53,848	49.0%	N/A	55.5%	$43,815
5	Belhaven University Jackson#1610 national	Private	$46,440	53.3%	1,050	51.1%	$29,195
6	Southwest Mississippi Community College Summit#1810 national	Public	$33,227	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,660
7	East Mississippi Community College Scooba#1833 national	Public	$33,772	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,950
8	William Carey University Hattiesburg#1864 national	Private	$43,087	58.0%	1,120	40.8%	$14,685
9	Itawamba Community College Fulton#1891 national	Public	$32,912	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,820
10	Northwest Mississippi Community College Senatobia#1903 national	Public	$36,396	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,060
11	Pearl River Community College Poplarville#1935 national	Public	$33,019	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,650
12	Mississippi Delta Community College Moorhead#1968 national	Public	$28,421	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,140
13	Hinds Community College Raymond#1990 national	Public	$30,774	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,875
14	Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson#1991 national	Public	$31,241	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,000
15	Holmes Community College Goodman#1992 national	Public	$32,922	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,210
16	Alcorn State University Alcorn State#2002 national	Public	$36,421	24.7%	924	46.2%	$8,549
17	Coahoma Community College Clarksdale#2010 national	Public	$24,289	N/A	N/A	N/A	$3,490
18	East Central Community College Decatur#2039 national	Public	$32,421	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,965
19	Jones County Junior College Ellisville#2052 national	Public	$33,377	N/A	N/A	N/A	$6,000
20	University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg#2068 national	Public	$44,140	99.4%	1,120	50.6%	$11,618
21	Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston#2109 national	Public	$33,017	N/A	N/A	N/A	$7,250
22	Northeast Mississippi Community College Booneville#2135 national	Public	$34,081	N/A	N/A	N/A	$8,050
23	Meridian Community College Meridian#2139 national	Public	$31,002	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,992
24	Delta State University Cleveland#2267 national	Public	$41,991	99.7%	1,091	46.9%	$8,605
25	Mississippi University for Women Columbus#2286 national	Public	$46,128	100.0%	1,050	37.8%	$8,092
26	Blue Mountain Christian University Blue Mountain#2360 national	Private	$40,421	100.0%	1,047	51.2%	$19,280
27	Tougaloo College Tougaloo#2517 national	Private	$34,724	53.2%	N/A	32.3%	$11,398
28	Jackson State University Jackson#2542 national	Public	$39,060	91.0%	974	32.2%	$10,110
29	Mississippi Valley State University Itta Bena#2559 national	Public	$31,919	51.2%	910	22.1%	$7,912
30	University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson	Public	$50,994	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
31	PRCC Hancock Aviation Aerospace Workforce Academy Kiln	Public	$33,019	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,560
32	Pearl River Community College-Forrest County Campus Hattiesburg	Public	$33,019	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,560
33	Rust College Holly Springs	Private	$32,275	34.7%	N/A	27.0%	$13,840
34	Copiah-Lincoln Community College Simpson County Center Mendenhall	Public	$31,241	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,000
35	Copiah-Lincoln Community College-Natchez Campus Natchez	Public	$31,241	N/A	N/A	N/A	$5,000
36	Southeastern Baptist College Laurel	Private	$26,946	N/A	N/A	100.0%	$5,925

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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