Best Online Colleges in Mississippi of 2024

Mississippi, the Magnolia State, has an economy that grew nearly 16% from 2018 to 2023, according to IBISWorld. The state’s largest sectors include healthcare, oil, and automobiles. Individuals interested in working or living in this state can benefit from pursuing a local degree. Mississippi students have the opportunity to network, learn the state culture, and find internships.

Prospective Mississippi college enrollees can use the following page to discover top schools, available scholarships, and popular in-state careers.

The school descriptions below were drafted using natural language generation technology and have been edited for clarity and accuracy.

Accreditation verifies that schools meet standards of academic quality. Accreditation status matters when choosing an online college. By attending an accredited online college, you can qualify for federal student aid programs like the Pell Grant. Your credits are also more likely to transfer to other institutions.

In Mississippi, institutional accrediting agencies include the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Some fields — like nursing, education, computer science, and business — also offer programmatic accreditation, which evaluates how well programs prepare students for jobs in the field.

Before applying to any Mississippi online colleges, make sure to check for accreditation.

For the 2021-22 school year, Mississippi public schools charged in-state students an average of $8,930 and out-of-state students an average of $20,848 in tuition and fees, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Private Mississippi institutions charged an average of $19,603 in tuition and fees in 2021-22.

Generally, Mississippi residents who attend public institutions pay lower tuition rates than students at private institutions. Some schools charge all online learners in-state tuition rates regardless of residency status.

As an online learner, you may also qualify for in-state tuition rates through reciprocity agreements. Mississippi and 14 other states participate in the Academic Common Market from the Southern Regional Education Board. Through this program, students from member states can get in-state tuition for select programs at public Mississippi institutions.

You can also reduce the cost of your college education by submitting the FAFSA and applying for scholarships and grants.

The government and independent organizations offer scholarships and grants to qualifying college students. Unlike student loans, scholarships and grants do not require repayment. Financial aid opportunities for Mississippi college students include:

Home to the scenic Pearl River and historic sites from the civil rights movement, Jackson is the capital of Mississippi and the largest city in the state. Its major industries include manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and telecommunications.

Jackson is also home to several colleges offering online degrees and courses, including Jackson State, one of the largest public HBCUs in the United States.

Because Mississippi has a below-average cost of living, even lower salaries may have higher purchasing power than in other states. Healthcare, management, and engineering careers pay some of the highest average salaries in Mississippi, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). These fields also report strong projected job growth from 2020 to 2030, according to data from Projections Central.

As the following table shows, many high-paying jobs require a graduate degree.