Best colleges for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Mississippi
Ranked by graduate earnings
University of Southern Mississippi, University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University are the top bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Mississippi by graduate earnings. University of Southern Mississippi leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,800, College Scorecard. Southwest Mississippi Community College, University of Southern Mississippi and East Mississippi Community College award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Mississippi: 282, 108 and 100 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 27 Mississippi colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences and award 4,756 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
Top 6 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,800 | 108 | 49% | — | $28,438 |
| 2 | University of Mississippi University Public · Bachelor's degree | $37,174 | 44 | 72% | — | $25,450 |
| 3 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State Public · Bachelor's degree | $36,318 | 58 | 67% | — | $28,435 |
| 4 | Alcorn State University Alcorn State Public · Bachelor's degree | $26,269 | 99 | 57% | — | $39,250 |
| 5 | Jackson State University Jackson Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $41,812 | 17 | 51% | — | $48,911 |
| 6 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $31,811 | 11 | 47% | — | $29,673 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holmes Community College Goodman Public · Associate degree | $25,496 | 88 | 39% | — | $11,789 |
| 2 | Meridian Community College Meridian Public · Associate degree | $24,817 | 170 | 34% | — | $4,989 |
| 3 | Jones County Junior College Ellisville Public · Associate degree | $23,319 | 544 | 41% | — | $7,000 |
| 4 | Northeast Mississippi Community College Booneville Public · Associate degree | $21,819 | 441 | 34% | — | $7,011 |
| 5 | Northwest Mississippi Community College Senatobia Public · Associate degree | $21,515 | 342 | 45% | — | $6,885 |
| 6 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston Public · Associate degree | $21,260 | 201 | 48% | — | $10,000 |
| 7 | Hinds Community College Raymond Public · Associate degree | $20,965 | 728 | 43% | — | $9,603 |
| 8 | Coahoma Community College Clarksdale Public · Associate degree | $20,069 | 76 | 41% | — | $6,601 |
| 9 | Pearl River Community College Poplarville Public · Associate degree | $19,354 | 629 | 37% | — | $10,000 |
| 10 | Itawamba Community College Fulton Public · Associate degree | $19,091 | 352 | 50% | — | $7,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Mississippi
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southwest Mississippi Community College Summit Public | 282 | Not reported |
| 2 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Public | 108 | $37,800 |
| 3 | East Mississippi Community College Scooba Public | 100 | Not reported |
| 4 | Alcorn State University Alcorn State Public | 99 | $26,269 |
| 5 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State Public | 58 | $36,318 |
| 6 | University of Mississippi University Public | 44 | $37,174 |
| 7 | Delta State University Cleveland Public | 19 | Not reported |
| 8 | Jackson State University Jackson Public | 17 | $41,812 |
| 9 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson Public | 16 | Not reported |
| 10 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus Public | 11 | $31,811 |
ShowHide the other 17 Mississippi colleges offering Liberal Arts and Sciences
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hinds Community College | Raymond | Public | 728 |
| Pearl River Community College | Poplarville | Public | 629 |
| Jones County Junior College | Ellisville | Public | 544 |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College | Booneville | Public | 441 |
| Itawamba Community College | Fulton | Public | 352 |
| Northwest Mississippi Community College | Senatobia | Public | 342 |
| East Central Community College | Decatur | Public | 270 |
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Perkinston | Public | 201 |
| Meridian Community College | Meridian | Public | 170 |
| Mississippi Delta Community College | Moorhead | Public | 98 |
| Holmes Community College | Goodman | Public | 88 |
| Coahoma Community College | Clarksdale | Public | 76 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | Itta Bena | Public | 51 |
| William Carey University | Hattiesburg | Private not-for-profit | 5 |
| Southeastern Baptist College | Laurel | Private not-for-profit | 4 |
| Belhaven University | Jackson | Private not-for-profit | 2 |
| Blue Mountain Christian University | Blue Mountain | Private not-for-profit | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Postsecondary Teachers, All Other (SOC 25-1199).
What Postsecondary Teachers, All Other earn in Mississippi
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Mississippi.
Which Mississippi colleges award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees?+
Southwest Mississippi Community College (282 graduates a year), University of Southern Mississippi (108 graduates a year) and East Mississippi Community College (100 graduates a year) award the most Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Mississippi, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 27 Mississippi colleges offer Liberal Arts and Sciences.
What is the best college for Liberal Arts and Sciences in Mississippi?+
By graduate earnings, University of Southern Mississippi leads among bachelor's Liberal Arts and Sciences programs in Mississippi, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $37,800, College Scorecard. University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University follow. By degrees awarded, Southwest Mississippi Community College is the largest, with 282 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Liberal Arts and Sciences program in Mississippi has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Southern Mississippi tops the list at $37,800. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
What is the focus of the Liberal Arts and Sciences program?+
The Liberal Arts and Sciences program, formally known as Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, offers a broad educational foundation in various disciplines. This program is designed for students seeking a well-rounded…
What is the job outlook for Postsecondary Teachers, All Other?+
The national job outlook is about +1.8% growth with around 13,500 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card