Best colleges for Registered Nursing in Mississippi
Ranked by graduate earnings
Alcorn State University, Mississippi University for Women and William Carey University are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Mississippi by graduate earnings. Alcorn State University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,255, College Scorecard. University of Mississippi, Mississippi University for Women and University of Southern Mississippi award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Mississippi: 461, 361 and 240 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 24 Mississippi colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 2,811 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
Top 8 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 | Alcorn State University Alcorn State Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,255 | 80 | 57% | — | $28,100 |
| 2 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,422 | 361 | 47% | — | $19,260 |
| 3 | William Carey University Hattiesburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,469 | 122 | 60% | $17,205 | $31,000 |
| 4 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Public · Bachelor's degree | $70,068 | 240 | 49% | — | $25,125 |
| 5 | Belhaven University Jackson Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,794 | 21 | 49% | $22,476 | $27,706 |
| 6 | Mississippi Christian University Clinton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $69,572 | 100 | 59% | $21,096 | $27,000 |
| 7 | University of Mississippi University Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,353 | 461 | 72% | — | $21,450 |
| 8 | Delta State University Cleveland Public · Bachelor's degree | $68,221 | 76 | 48% | — | $23,590 |
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 | Mississippi Delta Community College Moorhead Public · Associate degree | $74,925 | 36 | 31% | — | $15,909 |
| 2 | Southwest Mississippi Community College Summit Public · Associate degree | $70,513 | 73 | 56% | — | $21,057 |
| 3 | Northwest Mississippi Community College Senatobia Public · Associate degree | $70,472 | 105 | 45% | — | $17,362 |
| 4 | Pearl River Community College Poplarville Public · Associate degree | $67,190 | 164 | 37% | — | $15,250 |
| 5 | Jones County Junior College Ellisville Public · Associate degree | $67,107 | 62 | 41% | — | $9,500 |
| 6 | Holmes Community College Goodman Public · Associate degree | $67,054 | 132 | 39% | — | $23,000 |
| 7 | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston Public · Associate degree | $66,438 | 226 | 48% | — | $18,413 |
| 8 | Hinds Community College Raymond Public · Associate degree | $65,901 | 113 | 43% | — | $20,063 |
| 9 | Meridian Community College Meridian Public · Associate degree | $65,755 | 101 | 34% | — | $15,545 |
| 10 | Northeast Mississippi Community College Booneville Public · Associate degree | $60,759 | 80 | 34% | — | $15,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing 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 | University of Mississippi University Public | 461 | $69,353 |
| 2 | Mississippi University for Women Columbus Public | 361 | $74,422 |
| 3 | University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Public | 240 | $70,068 |
| 4 | William Carey University Hattiesburg Private not-for-profit | 122 | $73,469 |
| 5 | Mississippi Christian University Clinton Private not-for-profit | 100 | $69,572 |
| 6 | Alcorn State University Alcorn State Public | 80 | $85,255 |
| 7 | Delta State University Cleveland Public | 76 | $68,221 |
| 8 | East Mississippi Community College Scooba Public | 47 | Not reported |
| 9 | Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson Public | 29 | Not reported |
| 10 | Belhaven University Jackson Private not-for-profit | 21 | $69,794 |
ShowHide the other 14 Mississippi colleges offering Registered Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | Perkinston | Public | 226 |
| Pearl River Community College | Poplarville | Public | 164 |
| Holmes Community College | Goodman | Public | 132 |
| Hinds Community College | Raymond | Public | 113 |
| Northwest Mississippi Community College | Senatobia | Public | 105 |
| Meridian Community College | Meridian | Public | 101 |
| Itawamba Community College | Fulton | Public | 96 |
| Northeast Mississippi Community College | Booneville | Public | 80 |
| Southwest Mississippi Community College | Summit | Public | 73 |
| Jones County Junior College | Ellisville | Public | 62 |
| East Central Community College | Decatur | Public | 51 |
| Mississippi Delta Community College | Moorhead | Public | 36 |
| Coahoma Community College | Clarksdale | Public | 19 |
| Blue Mountain Christian University | Blue Mountain | Private not-for-profit | 16 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in Mississippi
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Mississippi.
Which Mississippi colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of Mississippi (461 graduates a year), Mississippi University for Women (361 graduates a year) and University of Southern Mississippi (240 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in Mississippi, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 24 Mississippi colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in Mississippi?+
By graduate earnings, Alcorn State University leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in Mississippi, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $85,255, College Scorecard. Mississippi University for Women and William Carey University follow. By degrees awarded, University of Mississippi is the largest, with 461 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in Mississippi has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Alcorn State University tops the list at $85,255. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Registered Nurses earn in Mississippi?+
The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Mississippi is $78,950 (median $77,090), across about 29,060 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+
The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+
The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's 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.
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