Millsaps College edging out Ole Miss was among the interesting takeaways from the recent update to a key earnings metric by the U.S. Department of Education. The DOE released College Scorecard data showing median annual earnings for college graduates four years after they graduate.
Millsaps’ median graduate earnings of $67,303 just beat the $66,243 reported for Ole Miss/UMMC.
MUW at $62,987 joined these two as the only four-year institutions topping the national average of $60,428.
Only Meridian Community College at $50,810 topped the national two-year college average of $50,128.
All Mississippi four-year institutions and 14 of 15 community colleges exceeded the high school median of $29,193 – the nation’s lowest; the national average was $32,842.
Other results included Mississippi State at $59,311, Mississippi College at $55,434, JSU at $55,318, William Carey at $54,242, Belhaven at $51,795, Blue Mountain at $49,347, Southern Miss at $48,593, DSU at $47,248, ASU at $45,495, MS Gulf Coast CC at $44,103, Pearl River CC at $43,603, Northeast MS CC at $43,163, Tougaloo at $42,641, Northwest MS CC at $42,368, East MS CC at $42,022, Itawamba CC at $41,849, Rust at $41,313, MVSU at $40,972, Hinds CC at $40,042, Holmes CC at $39,984, MS Delta CC at $37,960, Copiah Lincoln CC at $36,902, Jones College at $36,540, Coahoma CC at $31,140, and Southwest MS CC at $27,408.
Colleges that accept federal financial aid must report data for the College Scorecard. The earnings data tracks graduates who are working and not enrolled in a higher education program. Earnings for four-year institutions where many top students immediately enter graduate school and for two-year colleges where many students transfer to four-year institutions may not reflect the actual value of their undergraduate degrees.
Regional labor markets and job mix can greatly influence median earnings. The number of graduates employed within the state versus out of state matters – Mississippi salaries lag those in other states. Also, only 41% of jobs in Mississippi – driven by our mix of retail, service and agricultural jobs – require more than a high school diploma.
Top fields of study heavily influenced median earnings. These included: MSU Electrical, Chemical, and Mechanical Engineering at $106,839, $95,968, and $93,893 respectively; ASU Registered Nursing at $93,159; Southern Miss Polymer Science and Registered Nursing at $92,919 and $72,411 respectively; Ole Miss Registered Nursing, Accounting, and Finance at $87,701, $85,482, and $80,488 respectively; MS Gulf Coast, Southwest MS, and MS Delta Nursing at $76,778, $76,451, and $75,723 respectively; Millsaps Business Administration and Management at $76,477; Mississippi College Registered Nursing at $71,800; East MS Precision Metal Working at $50,571; and MS Gulf Coast Electromechanical and Industrial Technologies at $48,000 - $54,000.
See CollegeScorecard.ed.gov for more.
“Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily” – Colossians 3:23
Bill Crawford is an author and syndicated columnist from Jackson.
