POPULATION (2021): 3 million
CAPITAL: Jackson
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN MISSISSIPPI: Mississippi State Univesity
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN MISSISSIPPI: William Carey University
Mississippi is a southern state that is primarily landlocked but does have a small section of beachfront located on the Gulf of Mexico where the Mississippi River’s mouth creates the uber-fertile Mississippi Delta. There are plenty of other waterways, in addition to the most famous river in the United States that share the state’s name. The 20th state is known for its beauty and welcoming people, and it’s also where root beer was invented, so big cheers to that!
Blues music started in Mississippi, and live tunes are still a big part of the entertainment options in the state, no matter how large the town. A lot of the college options in Mississippi are, indeed, near the larger cities, but there is a decent community college system that stretches throughout the state.
Universities in Mississippi – 4-Year Colleges and Online
Most of the universities in Mississippi are public, but there are a handful of smaller, private colleges in Mississippi. Here’s a look!
Public Universities in Mississippi
Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi are the two largest colleges in the state, by enrollment, and each has a few satellite campuses, too. Here is a complete list of 4-year colleges in Mississippi, with the city names in parentheses:
- Alcorn State University (Lorman)
- Delta State University (Cleveland)
- Jackson State University (Jackson)
- Mississippi State University – Starkville
- Mississippi State University – Biloxi
- Mississippi State University – Meridian
- Mississippi State University – Vicksburg
- Mississippi University for Women (Columbus)
- Mississippi Valley State University
- University of Mississippi – Oxford
- University of Mississippi – Booneville
- University of Mississippi – Grenada
- University of Mississippi – Southaven
- University of Mississippi – Tupelo
- University of Mississippi Medical Center (Jackson)
- University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg)
- University of Southern Mississippi – Gulf Park
Private Universities in Mississippi
There aren’t nearly as many options for private universities in Mississippi, but there are a few religious schools including the Reformed Theological Seminary of Jackson, the Southeastern Baptist College in Laurel, and Wesley Biblical Seminary, also in Jackson. Additionally, Belhaven Univesity has two campuses in Jackson and Madison, Mississippi College’s main campus in Clinton and they have a law school in Jackson, and William Carey University also has 2 campuses in Hattiesburg and Biloxi.
Community Colleges in Mississippi
For 2-year degrees and certification programs, there are also several options, primarily offered by the Mississippi Community College System. In all, there are more than 50 community college campuses in the state, though several are run by the same parent school, such as the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College which has 5 campuses.
Prominent Online Colleges in Mississippi
All of the public universities in Mississippi have online offerings, and a few have complete degree programs that require little-to-no time spent in an actual classroom. The University of Mississippi, known to many as Ole Miss, has robust online offerings that have only gotten better since the COVID pandemic.
Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi have similar offerings, with a lot of crossovers, too. Blue Mountain College and the Mississippi University for Women also receive high rankings from online college reviews.
Universities in Jackson, MS
Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, and home to Jackson State University, one of the largest public colleges in the state. Other 4-year universities in Jackson include Belhaven University, Millsaps College, and Strayer University-Mississippi.
Get to Know Mississippi
The largest city in Mississippi, Jackson, only has about 150,000 people. Most of the state is a patchwork of small towns with different feels, and there is a deep history (some good and bad) revolving around the Civil War and the Civil Rights movement, specifically near the aforementioned Jackson.
If you’re someone who likes to explore the outdoors, the northern part of the state is ripe for expiration and the Mississippi River certainly isn’t the only waterway worth checking out. It is, however, something everyone should experience, and it gets more powerful the closer it gets to the mouth that empties into the Gulf of Mexico.
Speaking of the Gulf, many college students enjoy the beach life whenever they get a chance, and Mississippi’s coastal towns are known for being welcoming and full of music and shopping!