2026 Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools in Mississippi
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in higher education/higher education administration, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Higher Education/Higher Education Administration Schools
For return on investment in higher education/higher education administration, no school beat University Of Mississippi Main Campus this year. University Of Mississippi Main Campus is a very large public school located in the town of University. Students from in state pay about $9,772 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $28,600. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $22,444 in student loans. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $49,265. That is a strong return on a $22,444 median debt. Roughly 97% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Southern Mississippi one of the best values for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Hattiesburg, University Of Southern Mississippi is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,998, while out-of-state students pay about $11,998. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $25,415 in student loans. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from University Of Southern Mississippi generally make around $52,338. Set against $25,415 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Mississippi State University, which ranked #3. Mississippi State University is a very large public school located in the town of Mississippi State. Students from in state pay about $10,202 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,637. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $23,969. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $45,794. That is a strong return on a $23,969 median debt. Mississippi State University admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at William Carey University earned it the #4 place for higher education/higher education administration. Set in the city of Hattiesburg, William Carey University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $15,480 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $25,079 to complete the higher education/higher education administration program here. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from William Carey University generally make around $69,448. That is a strong return on a $25,079 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Students looking for strong value in higher education/higher education administration will find it at Jackson State University, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Jackson, Jackson State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,965 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $11,965. Higher Education/higher Education Administration graduates carry a median of $32,944 in student loans. Soon after graduation, higher education/higher education administration degree recipients from Jackson State University generally make around $69,650. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Mississippi College came in at #6 for value in higher education/higher education administration this year. Located in the suburb of Clinton, Mississippi College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $23,500. Typical student debt for higher education/higher education administration graduates is $25,510. Early-career higher education/higher education administration graduates make about $62,066. Set against $25,510 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 29%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.