9/10/2014 - Jackson, Miss.
Approximately 80,000 students are building a better future for themselves and the state by pursuing a college degree at one of Mississippi's eight public universities. Preliminary fall 2014 enrollment figures show an increase of 871 students from fall 2013 numbers. This represents a 1.1 percent increase across the system.
"While the increase system-wide is small," said Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Commissioner of Higher Education. "It indicates that enrollment remains steady as students recognize an investment in their education today will pay dividends for the rest of their lives."
Preliminary enrollment figures are unduplicated and count students one time if enrolled on more than one campus.
|
Unduplicated Headcount |
Fall 2013 |
Fall 2014 |
Number Change |
Percent Change |
|
Actual figures |
Preliminary figures | |||
|
Alcorn State University |
3,848 |
3,717 |
-131 |
-3.4% |
|
Delta State University |
3,523 |
3,614 |
91 |
2.6% |
|
Jackson State University |
9,134 |
9,508 |
374 |
4.1% |
|
Mississippi State University |
20,161 |
20,138 |
-23 |
-0.1% |
|
Mississippi University for Women |
2,629 |
2,697 |
68 |
2.6% |
|
Mississippi Valley State University |
2,203 |
2,294 |
91 |
4.1% |
|
University of Mississippi |
22,291 |
23,096 |
805 |
3.6% |
|
University of Southern Mississippi |
15,249 |
14,845 |
-404 |
-2.6% |
|
System Total |
79,038 |
79,909 |
871 |
1.1% |
"Having steady enrollment in Mississippi Public Universities bodes well for our state," said Bounds. "Studies have shown that individuals holding a college degree are more likely to be employed and earn more than those without post-secondary education. Today's students will be the leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow."
According to the report, Education Pays 2013, individuals with higher levels of education earn more and are more likely than others to be employed. The report finds that "median earnings of bachelor's degree recipients with no advanced degree working full time in 2011 were $56,500, $21,100 more than median earnings of high school graduates. Individuals with some college but no degree earned 14 percent more than high school graduates working full time. Their median after-tax earnings were 13 percent higher."
Education Pays 2013 also reported that "the 2012 unemployment rate for four-year college graduates ages 25 to 34 was 7.1 percentage points below that for high school graduates. The unemployment rates for those with associate degrees and with some college but no degree were 4.0 and 1.6 percentage points below that for high school graduates, respectively." The report was published in October 2013.
# # #
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.
John Sewell
Director of Communications
Telephone: 601.432.6333
