Jackson, MS · Public · 4,600 undergraduates · urban
Jackson State University
Less selective
Jackson State is a major public HBCU whose state-capital location adds government, healthcare and civic access to a tradition-heavy campus experience.
Institutional profile
Regionally focused Solid in student experience, and steady in career outcomes.- Admission
- 91% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 39.1%
14,141 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$39,060 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Jackson State University apart
Academic design
Five colleges cover business, health sciences, STEM, education and liberal arts, with undergraduate through doctoral study and a clear professional orientation.
Campus pattern
Football, homecoming and the Sonic Boom of the South are central to a campus culture closely tied to Jackson and Mississippi’s Black civic life.
Career & value signal
Its location in Mississippi’s capital creates practical connections to state government, hospitals, nonprofits and regional employers.
Can I get in?
91% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
14,141About 91 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 12% submitted an SAT, and 29% submitted an ACT. Treat the SAT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Jackson State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Jackson State University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Five colleges cover business, health sciences, STEM, education and liberal arts, with undergraduate through doctoral study and a clear professional orientation.
Make institutional fit specific
Jackson State is a major public HBCU whose state-capital location adds government, healthcare and civic access to a tradition-heavy campus experience.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
Jackson State University publishes two merit awards, the largest reaching full tuition or more. Each one requires a separate scholarship application.
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive
Open across the university · Merit · Competitive
In the season card
These two awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Jackson State University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Biology, General
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
Social Work
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Education, Other
Admits separately
What is campus life like?
Jackson State University beyond the classroom
Football, homecoming and the Sonic Boom of the South are central to a campus culture closely tied to Jackson and Mississippi’s Black civic life.
A defining academic feature
Five colleges cover business, health sciences, STEM, education and liberal arts, with undergraduate through doctoral study and a clear professional orientation.
What shapes an ordinary week
Football, homecoming and the Sonic Boom of the South are central to a campus culture closely tied to Jackson and Mississippi’s Black civic life.
Where the degree can lead
Its location in Mississippi’s capital creates practical connections to state government, hospitals, nonprofits and regional employers.