Business Schools in Mississippi
Positioned on the Gulf Coast with Louisiana and Arkansas to the west, Tennessee to the north, and Alabama to the south, Mississippi is one of the states that many associates with the deep American South. The state’s economy features a diverse mix, including agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, tourism, and petroleum.
Mississippi has a relatively small population (around 3 million). It is not particularly associated with academics, which accounts for the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) statistics showing only 15 public and non-profit schools that grant undergraduate and graduate business degrees in the state. The good news is that a relatively high percentage of these are accredited: 13 at the undergraduate and 10 at the graduate levels. We always strongly recommend choosing an accredited college wherever you go to school. This assures that the program you select has clear objectives and has proven that it produces quality outcomes while adhering to national and international standards. Accredited schools also typically offer a richer educational experience via interaction with actual businesses.
All of the schools in this article have been accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and/or International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). They are all public or non-profit and regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
This article contains the key data you need to help you choose the Mississippi business school that best suits your unique needs based on various key factors: tuition, financial aid, entrance exam scores, acceptance rates, and more. The three sections that follow describe undergraduate programs, graduate schools, and the job prospects for business school graduates in Mississippi.
Undergraduate Business Schools in Mississippi
Mississippi is a relatively low-income state, and this is reflected in the costs of its institutions. If you are looking for a budget-friendly option for studying business, you’ve come to the right place. The overall average tuition for our 13 schools is just $11,300, one of the lowest in the nation. Of those 13 schools, only two cost more than $20,000: Millsaps College ($37,100) and Belhaven University ($23,000). Nine of the other 11 schools are below $10,000, with the lowest Jones County Junior College at just $3,000.
We were able to obtain acceptance rate data for all of our schools except Jones County Junior College, and the numbers here are very high. The overall average acceptance rate is 68%, with the lowest figure (43%) at Belhaven University and the highest (a student-friendly 99%) at the Mississippi University for Women. There’s a clear split here into two groups: seven schools are below 65% while five schools are close to or above 80%.
Graduation rates for undergraduate business degrees in Mississippi are on the low side. We have data for the same 12 schools as acceptance rate data, and the overall average is 47%. Millsaps College has the highest figure at 72%, while the lowest is 30% at Alcorn State University. The University of Mississippi and Mississippi University for Women are nearly exactly tied for the best combination of acceptance rate and graduation rate. However, they achieve their top scores in rather different ways. The former has an acceptance rate of 78% and the graduation rate of 60%; the latter features the previously mentioned impressive 99% acceptance rate but a lower graduation rate of 47%.
Popular undergraduate online programs in Mississippi:Accredited Online Accounting Degrees | Accredited Online Business Degrees | Accredited Online Finance Degrees
The table that follows shows you all the important data you need about undergraduate business schools in Mississippi, including annual in-state tuition costs, average aid per student, acceptance rates, SAT and ACT score ranges of accepted students, and graduation rates. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.
| School | City | Tuition | Aid | Median SAT | Median ACT | Accept. Rate | Grad. Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University | Lorman | $6,546 | $8,038 | 810-1020 | 16-21 | 78% | 30% |
| Belhaven University | Jackson | $23,016 | $8,020 | 43% | 36% | ||
| Delta State University | Cleveland | $6,418 | $5,673 | 910-1080 | 19-25 | 89% | 35% |
| Jackson State University | Jackson | $7,261 | $7,400 | 820-1060 | 17-21 | 63% | 38% |
| Jones County Junior College | Ellisville | $3,000 | $4,463 | ||||
| Millsaps College | Jackson | $37,110 | $25,565 | 1046-1240 | 23-28 | 59% | 72% |
| Mississippi College | Clinton | $16,740 | $11,125 | 940-1243 | 21-28 | 49% | 59% |
| Mississippi State | Starkville | $7,780 | $8,587 | 21-28 | 56% | 60% | |
| Mississippi University for Women | Columbus | $6,065 | $6,586 | 1010-1150 | 18-24 | 99% | 47% |
| Mississippi Valley State University | Itta Bena | $6,116 | $7,317 | 15-19 | 84% | 31% | |
| University of Mississippi | University | $7,744 | $8,624 | 1000-1230 | 22-29 | 78% | 60% |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg | $7,659 | $6,670 | 940-1190 | 20-26 | 60% | 45% |
| William Carey University | Hattiesburg | $11,700 | $5,754 | 860-1070 | 21-27 | 51% | 46% |
Graduate Business Schools in Mississippi
We have data on 10 accredited schools for business study at the graduate level in Mississippi. As with their undergraduate counterparts, most schools are quite inexpensive compared to those in other states. There’s only one expensive university here: Millsaps College at just over $39,000. The other nine are all between $10,000 and about $18,000, with an average of around $14,000 (excluding Millsaps). So, once again, there are lots of options for those on a budget.
Interestingly, while there are not many high-end business schools in the state, there are some pretty highly ranked online MBA programs in Mississippi, perfect for those who want to expand their options while continuing their careers. Mississippi State University, currently ranked 22nd in the nation for online MBA programs by US News & World Report, offers an entirely-online curriculum with most students completing study within two years. The Ole Miss School of Business Administration at the University of Mississippi is close behind with a 25th place ranking. It offers both full-time (one-year) and part-time (two-year) program options, supported by online learning technology to encourage interaction and collaboration with faculty. Online MBAs are also offered by Jackson State University and the University of Southern Mississippi.
Popular graduate programs in Mississippi: MBA in Sports Management | MBA in Project Management | MBA in Human Resource Management
The table below shows graduate business school tuition costs, average accepted applicant GMAT scores, the percentage of faculty with a doctorate, and student-to-faculty ratios. Click any column header to sort the table based on its contents.
| School | City | Tuition | Avg. GMAT | Faculty with Doct. Degree | Student/ Faculty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn State University | Lorman | $14,184 | |||
| Delta State University | Cleveland | $13,710 | |||
| Jackson State University | Jackson | $11,010 | 400 | 1 | 1.64 |
| Millsaps College | Jackson | $39,078 | 551 | 1 | 4.22 |
| Mississippi College | Clinton | $18,270 | |||
| Mississippi State University | Starkville | $12,975 | 580 | ||
| Mississippi University for Women | Columbus | $10,000 | |||
| Mississippi Valley State University | Itta Bena | $12,975 | |||
| University of Mississippi | University | $17,850 | 568 | 0.982 | 1.29 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | Hattiesburg | $14,688 | 466 | 0.836 | 1.62 |
Job Outlook for Business School Graduates in Mississippi
Over the decade spanning 2016 to 2026, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data predicts total growth of at least 5% in 32 of 37 business and management occupations across the US.6 The highest growth will be for market analysts and marketing specialists, at 22.8% over 10 years, with financial managers coming in second at 18.7%.6
Mississippi’s economy has had to endure some ups and downs, such as Hurricane Katrina, which devastated the state in 2005, leading to a spike in unemployment that the state needed several years to recover from. Mississippi’s unemployment rate usually sits around a full point above the national average: at the time of writing, it is at 4.6% compared to the US average of 3.8%, though both figures are historically low.7 About 65,000 people were employed in Mississippi’s business and management sector in 2016.7 The largest subgroup was general and operations managers at 25,300, which is more than quadruple the number of people in the next-largest group, accountants and auditors (5,450).7 All other groups were below 5,000, and more than half below 1,000.7
Unfortunately, BLS data places Mississippi in the last place among the 50 states and the District of Columbia for the overall average annual wage across all occupations in 2016: $41,754.7 This is almost 28% below the national average of $57,617.6 Business and management occupations fared better, with a weighted average annual salary of around $75,000 that year, but this is still well below the figures in most states.7 Mississippi is unlike most states in that chief executives were not the highest-paid category: they came in at $111,000, second to architectural and engineering managers at $124,000.7 (Part of this may be attributable to the relatively small sample sizes since both groups number under 1,000.) Most management positions fell between $80,000 and $100,000, and the lowest-paid of the groups for which we have data was tax preparers at $27,520.7 (An average salary figure was not available for agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes.)
| Occupation Title | BLS.gov Code | 2017 Total Employment Mississippi | Mean Hourly Wage Mississippi | Mean Annual Wage Mississippi | National Growth 2016-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accountants and Auditors | 13-2011 | 5450 | 28.83 | $59,960 | 10.0% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 11-3011 | 2990 | 36.43 | $75,780 | 10.1% |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers | 11-2011 | 130 | 34.79 | $72,360 | 5.8% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 11-9041 | 810 | 59.68 | $124,140 | 5.5% |
| Budget Analysts | 13-2031 | 440 | 29.67 | $61,710 | 6.5% |
| Business Operations Specialists | 13-1199 | 3000 | 30.92 | $64,310 | 8.8% |
| Chief Executives | 11-1011 | 710 | 53.55 | $111,390 | 8.0% |
| Compensation and Benefits Managers | 11-3111 | 60 | 42.16 | $87,680 | 5.0% |
| Compensation and Job Analysis Specialists | 13-1141 | 270 | 24.83 | $51,640 | 8.5% |
| Compliance Officers | 13-1041 | 2300 | 26.43 | $54,970 | 8.2% |
| Information Systems Managers | 11-3021 | 1150 | 47.24 | $98,250 | 11.9% |
| Construction Managers | 11-9021 | 1130 | 35.13 | $73,070 | 11.4% |
| Cost Estimators | 13-1051 | 980 | 29.49 | $61,340 | 10.6% |
| Credit Analysts | 13-2041 | 360 | 33.17 | $69,000 | 8.4% |
| Credit Counselors | 13-2071 | 300 | 20.76 | $43,180 | 13.9% |
| Financial Analysts | 13-2051 | 430 | 37.43 | $77,850 | 10.8% |
| Financial Examiners | 13-2061 | 160 | 39.67 | $82,520 | 9.8% |
| Financial Managers | 11-3031 | 3470 | 49.67 | $103,300 | 0.187 |
| General and Operations Managers | 11-1021 | 25330 | 38.65 | $80,390 | 9.1% |
| Human Resources Managers | 11-3121 | 960 | 42.7 | $88,810 | 8.9% |
| Human Resources Specialists | 13-1071 | 2620 | 24.66 | $51,290 | 7.1% |
| Insurance Underwriters | 13-2053 | 300 | 34.28 | $71,300 | -5.2% |
| Labor Relations Specialists | 13-1075 | 220 | 31.36 | $65,240 | -7.8% |
| Loan Officers | 13-2072 | 2130 | 32.29 | $67,160 | 11.5% |
| Logisticians | 13-1081 | 720 | 37.79 | $78,610 | 6.9% |
| Management Analysts | 13-1111 | 1410 | 35.24 | $73,300 | 12.0% |
| Market Research and Marketing Specialists | 13-1161 | 1670 | 26.19 | $54,470 | 22.8% |
| Marketing Managers | 11-2021 | 470 | 47.04 | $97,850 | 10.0% |
| Meeting and Event Planners | 13-1121 | 300 | 19.22 | $39,970 | 10.2% |
| Public Relations | 11-2031 | 240 | 39.39 | $81,930 | 10.4% |
| Purchasing Managers | 11-3061 | 520 | 43.22 | $89,890 | 5.6% |
| Sales Managers | 11-2022 | 1350 | 52.65 | $109,520 | 0.074 |
| Tax Examiners and Revenue Agents | 13-2081 | 450 | 21.69 | $45,110 | -0.6% |
| Tax Preparers | 13-2082 | 550 | 13.23 | $27,520 | 10.8% |
| Training and Development Managers | 11-3131 | 160 | 44.96 | $93,520 | 10.3% |
| Training and Development Specialists | 13-1151 | 1410 | 27.26 | $56,700 | 11.5% |
Other Popular State Pages
- Accounting Schools in Mississippi
- Business Schools in Louisiana
- Business Schools in Arkansas
- Business Schools in Tennessee
- Business Schools in Alabama
- Business Schools in Florida
References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/
2. AACSB, Best Business Schools: https://bestbizschools.aacsb.edu/aacsb-accredited
3. ACBSP, Business Schools: https://acbsp.org/page/accreditation-overview
4. IACBE, Business Schools: https://iacbe.org/accreditation/
5. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools: http://www.sacs.org/
6. US News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools
7. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Mississippi: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_ms.htm
8. Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning: http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/