Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Mississippi #179 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $66,243, placing University of Mississippi in the 70.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Accounting #24 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions for return on investment — a program-level anchor that reflects the university's dominant business focus and its strongest earnings outcomes. University of Mississippi earn about $6,976 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 80.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with mobility and access rankings that round out a composite picture of a broad-access Mississippi public university delivering consistent graduate outcomes.
Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #179 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in University, MS, University of Mississippi enrolls roughly 21,473 undergraduates. Retention stands at 87.2% and the six-year graduation rate is 71.7%, figures that reflect solid persistence through degree completion. What anchors the composite is mobility. University of Mississippi sits in the 89.1 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, meaning low-income graduates convert their degrees into earnings outcomes that compare favorably with peers at similar institutions. Business is the dominant program family, and the university's mix channels graduates into career paths across business, education, and the liberal arts. University of Mississippi admits about 96.6% of applicants, and 21.7% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants while 23.5% are first-generation college students — access metrics that sit in the 55.9 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Return on investment is the lower-ranked pillar in the composite. Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $66,243; graduates earn about $6,976 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of Mississippi in the 80.8 percentile for among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 78.1 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting a pricing structure that varies meaningfully by family income level.
The University of Mississippi's published cost of attendance is $28,660, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $8,945, middle-income families pay around $14,794, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,313. Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #313 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each group pay more and some less than the figures shown. University of Mississippi participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the spread between low- and middle-income net prices reflects meaningful need-based grant support for qualifying students. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and the university draws on a mix of Pell Grants, state aid, and institutional scholarships to reduce out-of-pocket costs. For a fuller picture of how sticker price and net price diverge, see the net price illusion. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $29,387; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $66,243, median federal debt of $20,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $226 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #179 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $66,243, placing University of Mississippi in the 70.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and University of Mississippi sits in the 80.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Accounting #24 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment — a program-level anchor that reflects the university's strength in business and applied professional fields. ---
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the University Of Mississippi hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Students at University of Mississippi earn meaningfully more than similar students at comparable institutions, a pattern that holds across the university's broad program mix anchored by business and professional disciplines. Graduates enter the workforce with median 4-year earnings of $66,243, supported by a return-on-investment profile that places the university in the 81.0 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
The University of Mississippi's published cost of attendance is $28,660, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $8,945, middle-income families pay around $14,794, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,313.
Azimuth ranks University of Mississippi #313 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each group pay more and some less than the figures shown.
University of Mississippi participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs, and the spread between low- and middle-income net prices reflects meaningful need-based grant support for qualifying students. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and the university draws on a mix of Pell Grants, state aid, and institutional scholarships to reduce out-of-pocket costs.
For a fuller picture of how sticker price and net price diverge, see the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/). Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $29,387; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $66,243, median federal debt of $20,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $226 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of the University of Mississippi earn a median of $66,243 four years after enrollment, placing the institution in the 70.7th percentile for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,976 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the University of Mississippi in the 80.8th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks the University of Mississippi #282 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 81.0th percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings pattern reflects Business's dominance, with 23% of graduates concentrated in Business programs. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing is the largest program by cohort scale and earnings impact, graduating 327 students with median earnings of $87,701. Azimuth ranks Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing #98 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with graduates earning 1.0× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Connecticut State University Similar quality tier (#4336 ranked) | CT | 73% | $58,562 | #4336 | Compare |
The University Of Texas At Tyler Similar quality tier (#4332 ranked) | TX | 94% | $57,053 | #4332 | Compare |
University Of South Carolina-Columbia Similar quality tier in Southeast (#4331 ranked) | SC | 60% | $62,177 | #4331 | Compare |
University Of Maryland-Baltimore County Similar quality tier in Southeast (#4329 ranked) | MD | 72% | $69,960 | #4329 | Compare |
University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Similar quality tier (#4339 ranked) | LA | 87% | $47,089 | #4339 | Compare |
Chemical Engineering
26 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
67 graduates
Computer and Information Sciences, General
51 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
327 graduates
Accounting and Related Services
262 graduates
University of Mississippi's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 23% of degree output — a concentration that shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Education represents 6% of graduates and Engineering accounts for 5%, rounding out a portfolio tilted toward applied professional fields.
Across 62 programs serving roughly 4,004 students annually, 24 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad base that reflects the university's role as Mississippi's flagship public research institution. The strongest earnings come from quantitative and applied fields.
Azimuth ranks Nursing #102 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with 327 graduates earning $87,701. Azimuth ranks Accounting #24 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $85,482, and Azimuth ranks Finance #94 among nonprofit four-year institutions for median earnings four years after enrollment, with graduates earning $80,488.
Nursing combines the largest cohort — 327 graduates — with median earnings of $87,701, making it the program that contributes the most aggregate economic value across enrollment scale and pay. Among the most-enrolled programs, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program graduates 309 students annually with median earnings of $69,082, and the The Accounting program graduates 262 students with median earnings of $85,482.
Fields like Digital Marketing (median earnings of $69,139) and Radio, Television, and Digital Communication (median earnings of $69,082) represent high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly and four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national wage trends, while the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates programs across cohort scale, earnings, and benchmark performance.
