Jackson, Mississippi Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Jackson, Mississippi shows: median public in-state tuition $22,085 (+300.7% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $43,266 (-20.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $26,666 (+98.5% vs U.S.) 7,671 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 7 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 7,671 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $22,085 (+300.7% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $43,266 (-20.4% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.7% (+1.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $17,356 (+74.1% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $26,666 (+98.5% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 49.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 62.4%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Jackson, Mississippi—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Mississippi and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Jackson vs Mississippi & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, Mississippi | $22,085 | $17,356 | $26,666 | 49.7% | 7,671 |
| Mississippi (state median) | $4,200 | $6,747 | $9,722 | 48.3% | 124,254 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Jackson, Mississippi vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, Mississippi | $43,266 | 89.7% | 62.4% | 7.8% | — | 54.1% | 0.67 |
| Mississippi (state median) | $42,539 | 90.5% | 72.1% | 8.6% | — | 64.9% | 0.51 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Mississippi (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, Mississippi | $22,085 | $17,356 | $26,666 | 49.7% | 7,671 | $43,266 | 89.7% |
| Hattiesburg | $9,998 | $18,321 | $15,291 | 54.4% | 12,342 | $43,614 | 90.0% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 57.1%, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 50.9%, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 48.5%, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 0.0%, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 92.7%, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 90.5%, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 88.8%, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 81.1%, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
Top 10 most selective colleges in Jackson, Mississippi (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 43.1%, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 49.8%, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 93.2%, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,167, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $70,347, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $69,794, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $39,765, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $90,577, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $87,413, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $79,098, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $76,477, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $46,137, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,987, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,582, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $30,530, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $54,296, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,414, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,064, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $34,769, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,848, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,440, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,092, Strayer University-Mississippi
Strayer University-Mississippi
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $39,060, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $132,114, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $102,578, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $72,968, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Jackson, Mississippi (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $15,676, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $26,034, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $23,836, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 10 colleges in Jackson, Mississippi by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 67.8%, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 62.4%, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 58.0%, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
In-state tuition: Jackson, Mississippi vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Jackson, Mississippi median in-state tuition is $22,085, +300.7% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Jackson, Mississippi vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Jackson, Mississippi is $26,666 (+98.5% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Jackson, Mississippi vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Jackson, Mississippi center around $43,266 (-20.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Jackson, Mississippi vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.7% at the median Jackson, Mississippi campus (+1.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Jackson, Mississippi median public in-state tuition is $22,085, about +300.7% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +342.4%.
Median graduate debt is $26,666 (+98.5% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Jackson, Mississippi are $43,266, about -20.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 89.7% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+1.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 62.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 7.8% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 54.1% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Millsaps College (92.7%), Jackson State University (90.5%), Belhaven University (88.8%), Strayer University-Mississippi (81.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Jackson, Mississippi is 49.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Jackson?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 7 campuses in Jackson, Mississippi with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Jackson?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Jackson is $22,085 and median net price is $17,356. For Mississippi overall, medians are $4,200 and $6,747; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Jackson?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Jackson is $43,266 vs $42,539 for Mississippi and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Jackson colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Jackson is $26,666 vs $9,722 for Mississippi and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Jackson?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Millsaps College (graduation) and Millsaps College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Jackson?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 7 campuses in Jackson, Mississippi, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Jackson State University; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Presbyterian Church (USA) (1), United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- Mississippi college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON