Jackson, Mississippi Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Jackson, Mississippi: 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 (+100.9% 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 (+100.9% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,456
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 49.7%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 62.4%
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Full profile payload including top-college lists and peer comparisons.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Jackson serve students across Mississippi with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 7,671 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $22,085. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Jackson, 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 | 48.0% | 124,254 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
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 | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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% |
| Clinton | $23,500 | $18,164 | $22,500 | 59.3% | 2,595 | $47,485 | 93.2% |
| Gulfport | N/A | $15,055 | $9,500 | N/A | 273 | N/A | N/A |
| Laurel | $7,425 | $16,946 | $6,500 | 80.0% | 150 | N/A | N/A |
| Laurel | $7,425 | $16,946 | $6,500 | 80.0% | 150 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top 4 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 4 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 3 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 4 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 3 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, $134,588, Belhaven University
Belhaven University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $128,400, Millsaps College
Millsaps College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $54,743, Jackson State University
Jackson State University
Top 3 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 3 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 (+100.9% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
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 (+100.9% above the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 ($54,384).
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 88.0% (+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 76.4%—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%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Jackson?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in Jackson, Mississippi with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Jackson?
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 $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Jackson?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Jackson is $43,266 vs $42,539 for Mississippi and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Jackson colleges?
Median completer debt in Jackson is $26,666 vs $9,722 for Mississippi and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Jackson?
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?
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