
Source: National Center for Educational Statistics. This is the most recent data available as of January 2022
Questions & Answers
What do all these numbers mean?
All costs shown here are the average net cost paid by families in each income bracket for one year at the college in question. Net cost is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus government grants and institutional scholarships. Figures are based on data from the 2019-20 school year, which is the latest available as of January 2022.
What is “Total Cost” on the chart?
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for one year at that particular college. It includes:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
There are detailed chart below for each school that shows these expenses. Click here to go to the individual cost breakdown for schools.
How can I use this information?
This information is useful for building a realistic college budget. It's a good place to start until you better understand your specific circumstances. For example, let's say your income is $100,000 per year. This chart shows that the average state school would run $16,141 and the average private school would be $18,521. You can also get information on specific Mississippi schools in the chart above or the tables below.
Will my family pay the amount on this chart?
Probably not. The numbers are averages. You may be below average or above average. However, there are two key points we can learn from this data:
- Families with higher incomes ($75,000-$110,000 and $110,000+) will most likely pay close to full price at the public schools.
- Private colleges have a higher list price but offer more discounts. This brings their net price much closer to the cost of state-funded schools.
Where did this information come from?
As part of federal financial aid, colleges are required to provide detailed cost information to the U.S. government. This data is made available to the public through the National Center for Education Statistics. For more details, click here.
What about athletes, merit aid or minority students?
Athletes, high achieving students, and those with minority status are averaged in with everyone else. Within each income bracket, there are families that pay more than average and families that pay less than average.
The costs on this chart seem large. How can families afford to pay it?
For many families paying for college is not easy, but in the end they figure out. Most families will pay their net cost of college with some combination of:
- College savings and investments
- Payments from current income
- Loans
- Outside scholarships (check out the Scholarship Guide For Busy Parents to learn how your student can win scholarships)
- Tax planning
- Student work

Net Price:
Net prices is the total cost of attendance for one year, minus the average amount in government grants and institutional scholarships the school awards. This is an average, so you may pay above the average or below the average. Your exact net price is likely to be different and sometimes drastically different.
Most families will pay the net price with some combination of savings and investments, current income and various loans. Some students will also receive scholarships from sources other than the federal or state government or the college. Any scholarships and grants from these outside sources are not included in the data. However, government grants and institutional scholarships are included in the averages.
Total Cost at University of Mississippi (2019-20) | |
---|---|
Tuition and Fees | $8,828 |
Room and Board | $10,734 |
Books | $1,100 |
Other Expenses | $5,100 |
Total | $25,762 |
Total Cost:
Total cost is the total cost of attendance for that particular institution for the 2019-20 school year. This is the latest data available as of January 2022. Total costs include:
- Tuition and fees (in-state tuition for public schools)
- Room and board (on campus)
- Books and supplies
- Other expenses (travel and personal)
College Total Cost | ||
---|---|---|
Family Income | MS Public $23,433 | MS Private $31,393 |
$0 - $30k | $12,374 | $13,490 |
$30,001 – $48k | $14,025 | $14,167 |
$48,001 – $75k | $17,001 | $17,089 |
$75,001 – $110k | $16,141 | $18,521 |
$110,001+ | $17,309 | $19,091 |
Public vs. Private Averages
This table shows the average total cost of attendance for the Mississippi public and private colleges we have included in our analysis. The costs include a breakdown of the average net price paid by family income. Notice that the average private college is $1,000-$3,000 more than the average public school, depending on your income bracket. It is important to stress that these are averages. Most families will not be average, and their individual circumstances could be drastically different. I encourage all families to work with their preferred colleges to get information specific to their family.
Below are similar charts for each individual private and public college in Mississippi. Click a school to view its complete chart.
Public MS Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Alcorn State University
Alcorn State Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,290 $7,290 Room and Board $10,374 $10,788 Books $1,586 $1,586 Other Expenses $5,016 $3,100 Total $24,266 $22,764 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $16,480 $15,460 $30,001 - $48k $21,470 $20,141 $48,001 - $75k $20,407 $19,144 $75,001 - $110k $6,943 $6,513 $110,001+ $12,830 $12,036 -
Delta State University
Cleveland Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,671 $8,121 Room and Board $7,908 $7,985 Books $1,500 $1,500 Other Expenses $3,800 $3,800 Total $20,879 $21,406 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,441 $12,755 $30,001 - $48k $11,468 $11,757 $48,001 - $75k $15,064 $15,444 $75,001 - $110k $16,984 $17,413 $110,001+ $17,343 $17,781 -
Jackson State University
Jackson Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,445 $8,445 Room and Board $9,702 $9,900 Books $1,400 $1,400 Other Expenses $5,233 $5,472 Total $24,780 $25,217 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,608 $15,883 $30,001 - $48k $19,009 $19,344 $48,001 - $75k $22,299 $22,692 $75,001 - $110k $24,428 $24,859 $110,001+ $24,570 $25,003 -
University of Mississippi
University Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,828 $8,828 Room and Board $10,734 $10,734 Books $1,100 $1,100 Other Expenses $5,100 $5,100 Total $25,762 $25,762 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $7,764 $7,764 $30,001 - $48k $9,489 $9,489 $48,001 - $75k $15,351 $15,351 $75,001 - $110k $18,184 $18,184 $110,001+ $19,846 $19,846
-
Mississippi University for Women
Columbus Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $7,525 $7,525 Room and Board $7,648 $7,648 Books $1,600 $1,600 Other Expenses $4,115 $4,415 Total $20,888 $21,188 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,767 $10,922 $30,001 - $48k $11,661 $11,828 $48,001 - $75k $15,008 $15,224 $75,001 - $110k $17,087 $17,332 $110,001+ $18,180 $18,441 -
Mississippi Valley State University
Itta Bena Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $6,746 $6,746 Room and Board $7,998 $7,998 Books $2,000 $2,000 Other Expenses $3,571 $3,571 Total $20,315 $20,315 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,525 $10,525 $30,001 - $48k $13,424 $13,424 $48,001 - $75k $14,467 $14,467 $75,001 - $110k $6,689 $6,689 $110,001+ $6,652 $6,652 -
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,910 $8,910 Room and Board $10,436 $10,436 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $5,358 $5,358 Total $25,904 $25,904 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,025 $13,025 $30,001 - $48k $13,553 $13,553 $48,001 - $75k $18,449 $18,449 $75,001 - $110k $20,432 $20,432 $110,001+ $20,445 $20,445 -
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $8,896 $8,896 Room and Board $10,937 $10,937 Books $1,500 $1,400 Other Expenses $3,336 $3,527 Total $24,669 $24,760 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,382 $12,428 $30,001 - $48k $12,126 $12,171 $48,001 - $75k $14,959 $15,014 $75,001 - $110k $18,383 $18,451 $110,001+ $18,602 $18,671
Private MS Schools Cost Breakdown
-
Belhaven University
Jackson Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $26,202 $27,025 Room and Board $8,800 $8,800 Books $650 $650 Other Expenses $1,000 $1,000 Total $36,652 $37,475 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $13,059 $13,352 $30,001 - $48k $14,976 $15,312 $48,001 - $75k $17,915 $18,317 $75,001 - $110k $20,040 $20,490 $110,001+ $20,681 $21,145 -
Blue Mountain College
Blue Mountain Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $14,100 $15,800 Room and Board $7,100 $7,400 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $3,425 $3,425 Total $25,825 $27,825 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $12,599 $13,575 $30,001 - $48k $9,313 $10,034 $48,001 - $75k $16,388 $17,657 $75,001 - $110k $16,867 $18,173 $110,001+ $13,325 $14,357 -
Millsaps College
Jackson Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $41,314 $41,314 Room and Board $14,210 $14,210 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $1,800 $1,792 Total $58,524 $58,516 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $18,301 $18,298 $30,001 - $48k $18,999 $18,996 $48,001 - $75k $23,766 $23,763 $75,001 - $110k $26,786 $26,782 $110,001+ $28,955 $28,951
-
Mississippi College
Clinton Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $18,800 $19,308 Room and Board $10,610 $10,950 Books $1,500 $1,500 Other Expenses $4,402 $4,514 Total $35,312 $36,272 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,485 $15,906 $30,001 - $48k $14,501 $14,895 $48,001 - $75k $17,767 $18,250 $75,001 - $110k $20,945 $21,514 $110,001+ $22,080 $22,680 -
Rust College
Holly Springs Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $9,900 $9,900 Room and Board $4,300 $4,300 Books $250 $250 Other Expenses $2,250 $2,250 Total $16,700 $16,700 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $8,473 $8,473 $30,001 - $48k $9,515 $9,515 $48,001 - $75k $11,318 $11,318 $75,001 - $110k $15,587 $15,587 $110,001+ $10,781 $10,781 -
Tougaloo College
Tougaloo Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $10,861 $10,861 Room and Board $6,400 $6,400 Books $1,400 $1,400 Other Expenses $4,440 $4,440 Total $23,101 $23,101 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $10,980 $10,980 $30,001 - $48k $16,419 $16,419 $48,001 - $75k $18,984 $18,984 $75,001 - $110k $19,041 $19,041 $110,001+ $21,784 $21,784 -
William Carey University
Hattiesburg Year 2019-20 2020-21 Tuition and Fees $12,750 $13,650 Room and Board $6,272 $6,540 Books $1,200 $1,200 Other Expenses $3,417 $3,417 Total $23,639 $24,807 Family Income Net Cost (Actual) Net Cost (Estimated) $0-$30k $15,534 $16,302 $30,001 - $48k $15,444 $16,207 $48,001 - $75k $13,484 $14,150 $75,001 - $110k $10,384 $10,897 $110,001+ $16,034 $16,826
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