Mississippi Colleges Summary

From two-year community colleges to state-sponsored universities and private institutions, the state of Mississippi has many different options for higher education.

Mississippi's eight public universities operate jointly under the umbrella of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. System-wide enrollment in fall of 2017 was more than 81,000 students. The system includes both Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi, as well as Mississippi University for Women, the first public college for women in the U.S. However, MUW has admitted men for more than three decades.

There are 15 community colleges in Mississippi that operate under the Mississippi Community College Board. Students who complete associate degree programs at any community college in the state can transfer to four-year universities in Mississippi through the statewide articulation agreement between Mississippi community colleges and its public colleges.

Additionally, there are seven private colleges in the state, as well as the Tulane School of Professional Advancement in Biloxi. Many colleges and universities headquartered in other states have campus locations in Mississippi as well, including Faulkner University of Alabama, Loyola University of New Orleans and Strayer University of Washington, D.C.

Online Education in Mississippi

Students across the state can access more than 2,500 courses through Mississippi Virtual Community College. The virtual college is a consortium of all 15 community colleges in the state. Students also can pursue distance education opportunities at colleges and universities outside the state through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement.

For more information about higher education at colleges in Mississippi, check with the state's official website or the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation.

Sources:

  • Fast Facts 2017-2018, Mississippi State Institutions of Higher Learning, http://www.mississippi.edu/research/downloads/fast_facts_1718.pdf
  • About the W, Mississippi University for Women, Accessed April 2018, http://www.muw.edu/about-muw
  • List of Authorized Colleges and Universities, Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation, http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/downloads/MCCAApprovedSchoolList.pdf
  • State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), Accessed April 2018, http://www.mississippi.edu/mcca/sara.asp
Education Institutes in Mississippi
Total Number of Educational Institutes
58
Total Enrollment in all institutes
171,871
Number of Public Educational Institutes
25
Number of Private For-Profit Institutes
24
Number of Private Non-Profit Institutes
9
Graduation Rate
12.89%
Total Graduates With Bachelors Degree
6,467
On Campus and Online Programs in Mississippi
Number of Institutes Offering on-campus programs
2
Number of Institutes Offering on-line programs
2
Number of Institutes Offering both
54

Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2018-19, National Center for Education Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/