It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges in Mississippi ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Our analysis looked at 18 schools in Mississippi to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. While associate degree recipients from schools in Mississippi earn an average starting salary of $31,787, those from the top 15 school on this list made an average of $34,349.
Starting Salary ( 27455 to 39555 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
During their time at college, associate degree seekers from schools in Mississippi take out an average of $15,790.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Mississippi University for Women tops this year’s ranking as the best school for associate degrees in Mississippi for overall quality. MUW is located in Columbus, Mississippi and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 49 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from MUW make an average of $52,937 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $25,605 in student loans.
Out of the 18 associate degree schools in Mississippi that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Perkinston, Mississippi, the medium-sized public school awarded 2,162 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College make an average of $27,307 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,910 after getting their degree.
Out of the 18 associate degree schools in Mississippi that were part of this year’s ranking, Holmes Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Goodman, Mississippi, the small public school awarded 1,196 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Holmes Community College is $30,233 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $11,862 in student loans.
Out of the 18 associate degree schools in Mississippi that were part of this year’s ranking, Mississippi Delta Community College landed the #4 spot on the list. Moorhead, Mississippi is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 340 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,364 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $10,875 after getting their degree.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Hinds Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. This medium-sized public school is located in Raymond, Mississippi, and it awarded 1,789 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $31,921 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $17,277 after getting their degree.
Southwest Mississippi Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking. SMCC is located in Summit, Mississippi and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 483 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $35,197 during the early years of their career.
Itawamba Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Fulton, Mississippi, the small public school handed out 1,113 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from ICC go into careers with an average salary of $33,506 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,233.
Belhaven University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 31 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $28,224.
Pearl River Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking. Pearl River Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Poplarville, Mississippi. It awarded 1,088 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Pearl River Community College make an average of $37,544 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $12,841 in student loans.
With a ranking of #10, Alcorn State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. Alcorn State is located in Alcorn State, Mississippi and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 22 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $26,375 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #11, Meridian Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. Located in Meridian, Mississippi, the small public school handed out 497 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from MCC go into careers with an average salary of $35,754 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,925 in student loans.
East Mississippi Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking, coming in at #12. Scooba, Mississippi is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 761 students in 2020-2021.
Northwest Mississippi Community College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking. Located in Senatobia, Mississippi, the medium-sized public school handed out 1,064 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from NWCC make an average of $30,902 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $10,419.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking, coming in at #14. Copiah-Lincoln Community College is located in Wesson, Mississippi and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 596 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Copiah-Lincoln Community College make an average of $28,990 a year. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $4,987.
With a ranking of #15, Northeast Mississippi Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. Northeast Mississippi Community College is a small public school situated in Booneville, Mississippi. It awarded 667 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Northeast Mississippi Community College make an average of $34,147 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $11,165 after getting their degree.
Jones County Junior College came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking. Located in Ellisville, Mississippi, the small public school awarded 801 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Jones County Junior College make an average of $35,578 per year during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $8,422 in student loans.
East Central Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi list. Decatur, Mississippi is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 457 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $29,599 during the early years of their career. Associate students leave the school with an average of $9,630 in student loans.
Coahoma Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in Mississippi ranking. Located in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the small public school handed out 249 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a associate degree from Coahoma Community College make an average of $38,255 per year during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $14,039.
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).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
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