Mississippi's state-wide online education initiatives began in 1998 with the launch of an "electronic marketplace" of online college degree programs and courses called Electronic Campus. As one of the 16 member states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), Mississippi is dedicated to improving regional access to its online campuses. Mississippi's public universities have also partnered to create a joint online education search engine and worked with the state's department of education on the Mississippi e-Learning for Educators program, which provides online professional development courses for state teachers.
In-state tuition for four-year public schools in Minnesota increased 27% between 2006-11, making Mississippi one of just seven states to raise tuition by more than $300 above inflation. Meanwhile, state appropriations for higher education have only risen by 8.5%, prompting the Commissioner of Higher Education to implement cost-cutting initiatives in 2009. One CHE strategy involved redesigning core courses to blend classroom and online instruction. This hybridized approach ultimately saved more than $750,000 in annual institutional costs.
Learn more about Mississippi's top online academic institutions by searching the database of below. Refer to the state facts tab to see how higher education in Mississippi measures up to national metrics.
Featured Online Programs
34 Colleges in Mississippi
Additional Resources
Official State Links
College Savings
- College Savings Mississippi: The state's 529 plan allows students and families to put away money now, with tax benefits, to pay for college or university down the road. This plan includes four different investment options, including managed allocation, diversified equity, fixed income and guaranteed savings.
Education Nonprofits
- Rise Up MS: A nonprofit dedicated to helping students receive financial aid for college. This organization was created and is run by the Mississippi Legislature and works to identify in-need high school students.
- Get2College: This Mississippi nonprofit, run by the Education Service Foundation, provides a plethora of resources to the state's students in order to help them get a higher education. Get2College holds seminars, offers tutoring and test prep, hosts scholarship competitions and advocates for disadvantaged students.
- The Phil Hardin Foundation: Founded by a Mississippi native, this nonprofit organizes grants and advocates for better education throughout the state. It aims to provide financial resources in needed communities and to encourage all students to pursue higher education.
Higher Education News
- Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning News: The state site maintains a regularly updated news page on trends among Mississippi colleges and universities.
- MS News Now, Higher Education: A state news organization covering a range of topics, this publication devotes a section to the state's institutions of higher education and their happenings.
- Education Week Mississippi: This national publication covers education news in each state, curating a list of pertinent educational news topics in Mississippi.