Best Online Community Colleges in Mississippi
Mississippi offers many online degrees through its network of online community colleges. These online degrees combine convenience with strong academic standards while maintaining low tuition costs for budget-minded students.
- The Mississippi colleges on our Honorable Mention list exhibit strong online enrollment figures, all above 1,500 students, placing them significantly higher compared to other institutions.
- Each institution in the Best by Affordability category showcases low tuition costs below $3,700 annually.
- Hinds Community College boasts 2,154 online students, 285 of whom are enrolled in the military.
Our methodology for organizing the best colleges by state is multifaceted, prioritizing accessibility and clarity over traditional rankings. We've categorized these Mississippi community colleges into two distinct groups, Best by Affordability and Honorable Mention, allowing you to compare schools using metrics that fit your needs
Best by Affordability
Our Best by Affordability section focuses on annual tuition costs at the undergraduate level. Eligible institutions must have a standardized tuition rate across most programs, with yearly tuition set below $30,000. The most affordable community colleges in Mississippi are below $3,700 in tuition costs, according to manually collected data from the OnlineU team.
Itawamba Community College
Why We Like Them:
ICCMS takes the top spot for its affordability, with an annual tuition of $2,750, placing it amongst the most cost-effective schools in the country. Furthermore, 99% of students receive financial support through federal loans or grants. This support system helps you manage your educational expenses effectively. Adding to its appeal, Itawamba enrolls over 1,323 online students, placing it within the top 31% of schools offering popular online programs. The college offers a wide array of online degrees in fields such as business and marketing management, criminal justice, early childhood education, health information technology, hospitality management, paralegal studies, and public health.
Northwest Mississippi Community College
Why We Like Them:
NWCC offers great value with a tuition fee of only $3,400 per year, putting it in the top 10% of affordable schools nationwide. This makes it an ideal choice if you are budget-conscious. There are 500 online students pursuing degrees at NWCC, including 159 service members. This metric lets you know that there's a solid remote learning foundation to support your educational needs. The school provides a broad spectrum of online programs including degrees in accounting, criminal justice, psychology, and social work. These online pathways ensure you can pursue a quality education that meets your career goals, all from the convenience of your home.
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Why We Like Them:
CLCC is a good choice for budget-conscious students with its low tuition of $3,700, positioning it among the top 20% of schools with the most cost-effective programs. Coupling affordability with accessibility, 93% of its students receive financial aid, easing any immediate financial burdens for a majority of learners. This makes pursuing higher education feasible on a limited budget. With a variety of online associate degrees in fields such as accounting, business management, psychology, healthcare data technology, criminal justice, and more, CLCC can meet the needs of a diverse range of students.
Honorable Mention
Our Honorable Mention section highlights institutions that didn't fit neatly into other categories but still offer unique qualities worth considering. These schools are recommended based on various distinctive aspects relevant to prospective online students. We show the most popular community colleges in Mississippi with online enrollment between 1,627 and 2,154 distance learners.
Hinds Community College
Why We Like Them:
HCC stands out for its impressive online enrollment, with 2,154 students engaging in remote learning, placing it among the top 21% of schools with the highest online student populations around the country. This accessibility is complemented by a student-faculty ratio of 13:1, ensuring that online learners receive substantial support and interaction with their instructors. First-time online students will appreciate that HCC is set up to support their educational journey with a dedicated online learning department. Associate degrees are available in business, health sciences, public and safety administration, and STEM fields.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Why We Like Them:
Noted for its substantial online enrollment, MGCCC excels in providing accessible online education to 1,739 online students. MGCCC is among the top 25% of institutions with a significant online student body, ensuring a strong virtual community. Paired with a financial aid program where 92% of students receive aid, remote students can ensure they have adequate economic support. MGCCC offers several fully online associate degrees in majors such as business management technology and elementary education, catering to eclectic academic interests.
Holmes Community College
Why We Like Them:
HCC hosts 1,627 students who are engaged in online learning. If we compare its online enrollment to other institutions, HCC stands in the top 26%, indicating its strong infrastructure and ability to support digital learners effectively. Additionally, 89% of students receive financial aid to afford the $6,210 tuition rate, making it a viable option for cost-conscious students. HCC provides a flexible eLearning platform, utilizing Canvas to deliver a range of online courses tailored to fit your schedule. Online courses range from accounting to public speaking.
Overview of the Mississippi Community College System
The Mississippi community college system is made up of 15 colleges throughout the state, with a total enrollment of 49,319 students. The mission of Mississippi community colleges is to create an environment of excellence in learning to promote prosperity in the state of Mississippi. Five core values are embodied in the educational process: professionalism, integrity, partnerships, innovation and diversity.
A wide variety of programs are offered, including university-track academic courses, technical skills, training and education aimed at specific jobs and types of employment, high school equivalency courses, and adult education. Over 2,500 courses are taught by more than 1,300 instructors through the Mississippi Virtual Community College.
The state of Mississippi does not have a free community college program. The average funding per full-time Mississippi community college student for all schools in the state鈥攊ncluding state appropriations, local appropriations, and government grants and contracts鈥攊s $9,957.13.
Admission requirements may vary, but students are generally required to submit transcripts from the last high school or college they attended. Those without high school transcripts and those who did not attend an accredited high school may submit their GED score or an ACT composite score. All incoming students under the age of 21 must take the ACT or SAT, or take the Accuplacer test. Prospective students may apply online.
References
- Mississippi Community College Board. Accessed April 3, 2019. .
This website offers school details to prospective students as an informational resource. The appearance of a school listing on this website should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the school by this site.