10 Best Colleges in Mississippi
What’s Covered:
By attending college in Mississippi, you have the opportunity to get to know the state that produced great American writers William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, and Eudora Welty, and experience firsthand important sites from the Civil Rights Movement.
Below is a list of the top 10 colleges and universities in the Magnolia State.
Our Ranking Methodology
When constructing our list of the 10 best colleges in Mississippi, we primarily focused on school quality, outcomes, and return on investment (ROI). We also examined various data points, including retention rate, selectivity, endowment per student, student-faculty ratio, median earnings, and cost of attendance, among others. Students can see our full rankings here.
Best Colleges in Mississippi
1. Mississippi State University | MSU
Location: Mississippi State, MS
Acceptance Rate: 78%
Middle 50% SAT: 1100-1340
Middle 50% ACT: 21-29
Undergraduate Enrollment: 18,567
Mississippi State has produced many notable graduates, including best-selling author John Grisham, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
As a member of the Southeastern Conference, football has always been a huge part of the culture of Mississippi State—the college has nicknames for its rivalries with both the University of Mississippi (the Egg Bowl, named for the game’s trophy) and the University of Alabama (the Battle for Highway 82, referring to the commute between the schools).
Learn more about Mississippi State and what it takes to get accepted.
2. Mississippi College
Location: Clinton, MS
Acceptance Rate: 49%
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: 19-26
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,706
Mississippi College is the oldest college in Mississippi, the second-oldest Baptist college in the country, and the first coeducational American college to grant degrees to women.
Mississippi College prides itself on being one of the most affordable private universities in the nation, costing roughly $15,000 less per year than the average private institution. It’s also known for its innovation in online learning programs, which connects Clinton to students of all ages and in all locations around the world.
Learn more about Mississippi College and what it takes to get accepted.
3. Millsaps College
Location: Jackson, MS
Acceptance Rate: 49%
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 582
Millsaps is surrounded by history, from its founding by Methodists in 1890 to its location in Jackson, one of the most important cities of the Civil Rights Movement. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the nation’s fourth-largest St. Patrick’s Day parade or become a part of the first Phi Beta Kappa chapter in Mississippi.
Learn more about Millsaps College and what it takes to get accepted.
4. University of Mississippi | Ole Miss
Location: Oxford, MS
Acceptance Rate: 97%
Middle 50% SAT: 1000-1200
Middle 50% ACT: 21-29
Undergraduate Enrollment: 21,585
Glance through a list of notable Ole Miss alumni and it highlights how seriously the Rebels take their football: the school is the alma mater of Eli Manning, his father Archie, and The Blind Side protagonist Michael Oher.
Those not interested in athletics can explore the campus where William Faulkner spent four years, and enroll in programs that aren’t often available to undergraduates at other colleges, through the School of Accountancy, the School of Journalism, or the School of Pharmacy.
Learn more about Ole Miss and what it takes to get accepted.
5. William Carey University
Location: Hattiesburg, MS
Acceptance Rate: 58%
Middle 50% SAT: 880-1200
Middle 50% ACT: 20-27
Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,113
William Carey University, originally Pearl River Boarding School and then Mississippi Women’s College, has shown more endurance than perhaps any college in the country. The school was originally not even a full-time university; rather, it was a more comprehensive institution offering courses to students of various ages.
After two campuses burned down, a move from Poplarville to Hattiesburg, a name change, and the shift to coeducation, the university today remains committed to its Baptist roots while embracing the diversity of the modern world through its ten specialized schools and colleges.
Learn more about William Carey University and what it takes to get accepted.
6. Southeastern Baptist College
Location: Laurel, MS
Acceptance Rate: N/A
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: N/A
Undergraduate Enrollment: 69
An accredited Bible college since 1974, Southeastern Baptist structures its education around a core set of Christian principles. While many graduates do go on to become ministers in Mississippi and beyond, Southeastern Baptist also has a School of Business Administration, with a degree program that includes Bible study courses, as well as more traditional business classes such as economics and marketing.
Learn more about Southeastern Baptist College and what it takes to get accepted.
7. University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss
Location: Hattiesburg, MS
Acceptance Rate: 95%
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: 20-29
Undergraduate Enrollment: 10,193
Southern Miss takes enormous pride in its traditions, so much so that, in 2007, the President and Board of Directors of the Alumni Association signed a resolution to protect them. These traditions include the marching band performing “Amazing Grace” after the final home football game, an annual celebration of the school’s founding on March 30th, and a holiday party where students can take pictures with both Santa and Seymour the eagle, the school’s mascot.
Learn more about Southern Miss and what it takes to get accepted.
8. Belhaven University
Location: Jackson, MS
Acceptance Rate: 53%
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: 18-23
Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,452
Belhaven is a Christian liberal arts college—students are both taught in accordance with the Bible and encouraged to broaden their horizons. With 80 areas of study, students can pursue a vast number of fields. For example, all seniors take a capstone course on bringing Christian principles into the workplace, and Belhaven is one of just 39 colleges in the country to be nationally accredited in dance, music, theater, and visual art.
Learn more about Belhaven and what it takes to get accepted.
9. Blue Mountain Christian University
Location: Blue Mountain, MS
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Middle 50% SAT: 950-1070
Middle 50% ACT: 18-22
Undergraduate Enrollment: 942
Blue Mountain College was founded in 1873 as a Christian college for women. It began admitting men in 1956, though only into church-related vocational programs, while continuing to operate as a traditional liberal arts college for women. Today, Blue Mountain is fully coeducational, yet it remains committed to fostering a community united by Christian faith.
In 2022, Blue Mountain Christian College changed its name to Blue Mountain Christian University.
Learn more about Blue Mountain Christian University and what it takes to get accepted.
10. Mississippi University for Women
Location: Columbus, MS
Acceptance Rate: 100%
Middle 50% SAT: N/A
Middle 50% ACT: 18-23
Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,505
Despite its name, Mississippi University for Women, or “The W,” is a coeducational university. The W prides itself on being accessible to everyone—tuition for a full-time undergraduate student is under $5,000 per semester.
If you’re interested in a career in health, The W might be the perfect school for you. Its most popular majors include nursing, public health education, early childhood development, biology, and psychology.
Learn more about Mississippi University for Women and what it takes to get accepted.
What Are Your Chances of Acceptance?
If you’re wondering how likely you are to be accepted at one of the best schools in Mississippi, check out our free chancing engine. While we’ve listed each school’s overall acceptance rate above, your personal chances may be higher or lower depending on your academic and extracurricular profile.
