Best Online Colleges in Mississippi of 2024

Get Matched With Mississippi Programs

Are you considering enrollment with an online college or university in Mississippi? The state offers many distance learning opportunities for prospective students, with degrees available at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate levels. Availability will depend, however, upon the major selected and 100% remote doctorate programs may be less common. Some subject areas are also more prevalent than others, but students can expect plenty of variety.

While Mississippi is home to many traditional, on-campus options, there are several benefits associated with earning online degrees. Specific employment opportunities vary based on the major selected, as well as the level of education attained, but distance learning programs adequately prepare students for professional employment. Those who have attended online colleges will fare better than those who lack degrees when applying for jobs, as graduates are often considered more qualified and capable no matter how they graduated. Other benefits include improved job security and higher wage potential. Additionally, online programs often offer more flexible scheduling, making it easy for individuals working full-time to continue their education.

Those who graduate with online degrees in Mississippi can expect to have more employment opportunities than those who do not earn degrees at all. As of March 2022, the state’s civilian labor force was 1,259,602. Of those, 1,206,715 were employed, leaving 52,887 without jobs. The state’s unemployment rate was 4.2, down significantly from a high of 15.4 in April 2020. Notably, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in the last ten years.

As of May 2020, Mississippi had a mean hourly wage of $16.86 and an annual mean wage of $42,700. This is significantly below the national average of $56,310 for all occupations. Notably, however, having a degree at all can help increase earning potential and may result in more lucrative employment opportunities. Additionally, some industries pay more than others. The highest paying jobs in the state include chief executives, engineers, nurse science managers, physicists, postsecondary educators, dentists, optometrists, pharmacists, nurse anesthetists, and family medicine physicians.

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Online Higher Education in Mississippi

As of the 2020-2021 academic year, the total student population in Mississippi was 165,790. This includes 142,167 undergraduate and 23,623 graduate school students. Of these, 41,277 students were enrolled online exclusively, while an additional 67,263 students were enrolled in some online courses. This means that over 65% of undergraduate and graduate students in the state took at least one online class during the 2020-2021 academic year.

In general, Mississippi residents pay less to attend online colleges than out-of-state students. The average cost of tuition and fees for those attending from in-state was $4,769 in 2022. Students from other states paid more, however, with an average yearly tuition and fee commitment of $8,239.

Find Your Online Mississippi Program

It’s worth noting that some colleges and universities charge lower tuition rates for students enrolled in online classes. Remote learning may also result in fewer fees and other costs associated with earning degrees. For example, many institutions charge on-campus students for room, board, parking, activities, and some services. Opting to attend classes online will not eliminate the need for housing and food, but certain circumstances can result in these expenses being lower. Additionally, remote learners still qualify for financial aid. All prospective students should complete and submit the FAFSA to their institution.

Our School Rankings Methodology

Prospective students can use college and university rankings as a tool to help determine which academic programs suit their personal and professional goals best. The information provided can make selecting a school and degree programs significantly easier.

We ensure accuracy and applicability for students of all kinds by utilizing a proprietary ratings system to rank colleges and universities with the best online college programs in Mississippi.

Some of the data types utilized to generate our rankings include:

Graduation Rate
Net Price
Average Graduate Salary
Retention Rate
Reputation
Student-to-Faculty Ratio

Our goal is to provide pertinent data that keeps students informed, allowing them to make the best academic decisions possible. We perform thorough investigations and assessments to develop a list of top online programs available in the state. Additionally, our team only includes properly accredited colleges and universities offering credible online courses. We also carefully consider the overall quality and affordability of each institution prior to releasing our findings.