University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi · Public · 96.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 65/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of Mississippi scores 65 (Fair Value) on the CampusROI scale. Ole Miss has $41,300 median 6-year earnings, a 12.1-year payback period, a 71.7% completion rate, and in-state tuition of $9,772. The 12.1-year payback is longer than the institution's metrics might suggest - it reflects a program mix where engineering and healthcare deliver strong outcomes but high-volume programs in journalism, kinesiology, communication, and social sciences weigh down the average. Chemical Engineering (15 graduates, $76,685 year-one, B+ grade) and Electrical Engineering (19 graduates, $74,931 year-one) lead STEM. Registered Nursing (282 graduates, $69,353 year-one, B+ grade) is the strongest high-volume program. Accounting (219 graduates, $59,123 year-one, B grade) and Finance (192 graduates, $52,550 year-one) are strong in business. Ole Miss's journalism program is nationally known - Radio/TV/Digital Communication has 293 graduates but $41,247 year-one earnings. Kinesiology (108 graduates, F-grade, $22,239 year-one) and Biology (130 graduates, F-grade, $21,325 year-one) are the worst financial outcomes, driven by pre-professional pipeline patterns that Scorecard data captures poorly.
University of Mississippi
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $9,772/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $28,600/yr |
| Average net price | $13,314/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $53,256 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $50,994 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $41,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $212 |
| Estimated payback period | 12.1 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 71.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 21,473 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,772/year ($28,600/year out-of-state). Here's the part that matters - almost nobody pays that. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $13,314/year, or roughly $53,256 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $8,945/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,313/year.
Most students borrow to get here. The median graduate leaves owing $20,000 in federal loans, which works out to about $212 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Hold that up against the $50,994 the typical graduate earns ten years out: the debt-to-earnings ratio comes to 0.48, comfortably manageable.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $8,945 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,217 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $14,794 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $18,573 |
| $110,001+ | $21,313 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from the 0-30000 bracket pay $8,945 per year - $35,780 over four years. For nursing and accounting graduates, the entire four-year investment is recovered in under eight months of employment. For the many students in kinesiology, biology, or social sciences, payback extends considerably. Ole Miss is genuinely affordable for low-income Mississippi residents, and merit scholarship opportunities can reduce cost further.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $14,794 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $18,573 per year. At $74,292 over four years for the upper-middle bracket, Ole Miss's STEM, nursing, and accounting programs are solid values. The journalism and communication programs delivering $35,000-$41,000 year-one earnings against this cost base produce a payback of three-plus years - manageable, but worth scrutiny relative to cheaper alternatives.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $21,313 per year - $85,252 over four years. At this price, Ole Miss competes on value with selective private liberal arts colleges for in-state students. Nursing ($69,353 year-one), accounting ($59,123), and engineering ($70,038) justify the investment. Kinesiology ($22,239 year-one) and biology ($21,325 year-one) do not, at any price point, until the professional school pipeline resolves.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Mississippi with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $69,082 | C+ |
| Registered Nursing | $87,701 | B+ |
| Accounting | $85,482 | B |
| Marketing | $69,139 | C+ |
| Finance and Financial Management | $80,488 | C+ |
| Business Administration and Management | $39,464 | C+ |
| Psychology | $49,974 | D |
| Teacher Education | $42,535 | C+ |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $34,607 | D |
| Biology | $58,393 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Registered Nursing (282 graduates) earns $69,353 at year one and $87,701 at year four with $21,450 median debt and a 0.309 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B+). Nursing is Ole Miss's highest-volume strong-outcome program. Mississippi healthcare labor demand is consistent and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.309 reflects manageable borrowing against solid earnings. Nursing at Ole Miss's in-state price is one of the better healthcare education values in the Deep South.
Accounting
Accounting (219 graduates) earns $59,123 at year one and $85,482 at year four with $23,150 median debt and a 0.392 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B). Ole Miss's Patterson School of Accountancy is one of the strongest accounting programs in the Southeast, with a well-established pipeline into Big Four accounting firms. Year-four earnings of $85,482 reflect the audit and assurance careers that Mississippi and regional placements support.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance (192 graduates) earns $52,550 at year one and $80,488 at year four with $24,487 median debt and a 0.466 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade C+). Finance at Ole Miss's in-state price is a fair value - C+ grade reflects the moderate debt against solid but not exceptional earnings. Mississippi's financial services sector is limited; Ole Miss finance graduates who relocate to Atlanta or other Southeastern metros see better career trajectories.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering (65 graduates) earns $70,038 at year one and $93,311 at year four with $24,629 median debt and a 0.352 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade B). ME at Ole Miss delivers solid B-grade outcomes at a state university price. Mississippi's petrochemical and manufacturing sectors absorb engineering graduates. Year-four earnings of $93,311 reflect career progression into senior engineering and management roles.
Biology
Biology (130 graduates) earns $21,325 at year one with $21,500 median debt and a 1.008 debt-to-earnings ratio (ROI grade F). The F-grade reflects biology's typical pre-professional earnings pattern - most Ole Miss biology graduates are in medical or dental school during the Scorecard six-year window, not in the workforce. This grade describes near-term earnings during graduate training, not the long-run career outcome. Students heading to professional school should model total educational debt across their full training pathway.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 66.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 69.4% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Mississippi’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2023).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 96.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 490-590 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-610 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-29 |
| Enrollment | 21,473 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,330 |
Ole Miss admits 96.6% of applicants - near-open enrollment for all qualified applicants. ACT 21-29 spans the full range of college-ready students. Admission is not a filter; financial aid packaging and scholarship opportunities are the key enrollment considerations. Ole Miss regularly uses merit scholarships to attract out-of-state students, which can make it financially competitive with some in-state alternatives.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Ole Miss's Scorecard peers include Alcorn State University, Delta State University, UNLV, UT El Paso, and Northern Arizona University. Among Mississippi public universities, Ole Miss (ROI 65) is the flagship and outperforms Delta State and Alcorn State on earnings. UNLV (~ROI 60) and Northern Arizona (~ROI 62) are Western regional peers with similar profiles. Ole Miss's strongest differentiator versus peers is its Patterson School of Accountancy - among the top 10 accounting programs nationally, it drives above-average earnings premium scores for a school at this cost level.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Mississippi (this school) | 65 | $13,314 | $50,994 |
| University of Nevada-Las Vegas | 67 | $10,359 | $55,037 |
| Northern Arizona University | 64 | $14,158 | $54,384 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso | 61 | $9,403 | $50,923 |
| Delta State University | 29 | $13,540 | $41,991 |
| Alcorn State University | 16 | $13,265 | $36,421 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See University of Mississippi side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Ole Miss enrolls 21,473 undergraduates in Oxford, Mississippi - a flagship Southern research university with a strong campus culture and 96.6% admission rate. SAT mid-range is 490-590 Math and 510-610 Reading; ACT 21-29. The broad acceptance rate masks a meaningful Greek life-dominated, athletics-centric campus culture. The 21.7% Pell rate is relatively low for a Southern flagship. Students targeting accounting, nursing, engineering, or journalism will find strong established programs. Students seeking a traditional Southern flagship experience with competitive amenities will find Oxford's campus environment compelling.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Mississippi is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $13,314 a year after aid ($53,256 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $50,994 a decade out, the cost takes about 12.1 years to earn back. That's roughly average - not a bargain, not a mistake.
What it has going for it: its 71.7% graduation rate, manageable debt relative to earnings.
Median debt of $20,000 against $50,994 in earnings is reasonable, though your major matters a lot here. Graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.