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Mississippi's top schools range from a large public university to a small, private liberal arts college. I've listed the top Mississippi colleges alphabetically to avoid the arbitrary distinctions often used to distinguish #1 from #2, and because of the impossibility of comparing schools with such varying missions and personalities. The schools were chosen based on factors such as academic reputation, curricular innovation, first-year retention rate, six-year graduation rate, value, financial aid and student engagement.
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Belhaven University
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- Location: Jackson, Mississippi
- Enrollment: 3,099 (2,467 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church
- Distinctions: 12 to 1 student / faculty ratio on the residential campus; adult education centers in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Houston, Jackson, Memphis and Orlando; attractive campus with a lake and walking trails; popular business program
- For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Belhaven University profile
Millsaps College
lordsutch / Flickr
- Location: Jackson, Mississippi
- Enrollment: 1,060 (965 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church
- Distinctions: one of the top South Central colleges; chapter of Phi Beta Kapps for strong liberal arts and sciences; featured in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives; highest graduation rate of any Mississippi college; 10 to 1 student / faculty ratio
- For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Millsaps College profile
Mississippi College
sampitech / Flickr
- Location: Clinton, Mississippi
- Enrollment: 4,963 (3,107 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: private college affiliated with the Baptist Church
- Distinctions: oldest college in Mississippi (founded in 1826); largest private college in Mississippi; 80 areas of study; 15 to 1 student / faculty ratio; high marks for value and commitment to community service
- For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Mississippi College profile
Mississippi State University
roygullem / Flickr
- Location: Starkville, Mississippi
- Enrollment: 19,644 (15,543 undergraduate)
- Type of Institution: public university
- Distinctions: largest university in Mississippi; 4,000-acre campus; Honors College for high-achieving students; good value; strong engineering programs; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference (SEC)
- For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the Mississippi State profile
University of Mississippi (Ole Miss)
lucianvenutian / Flickr
- Location: Oxford, Mississippi
- Enrollment: 17,085 (14,159 undergraduates)
- Type of Institution: public university
- Distinctions: chapter of Phi Beta Kapps for strong liberal arts and sciences; home to 30 research centers; Honors College for high-achieving students; good value; member of the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference (SEC)
- For acceptance rate, test scores, costs and other information, visit the University of Mississippi profile
