Meridian Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Meridian, Mississippi. It enrolls 2,156 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
66/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes33
Value66
Affordability66
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Meridian Community College generally admits all qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Meridian Community College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $6,351 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,351
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
39%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,078
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,478
Room & Board (on-campus)
$5,520
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,875
Books & Supplies
$2,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,550
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,270
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,334
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$1,02810%percentile
$1,75025%percentile
$5,521Medianpercentile
$6,81375%percentile
$11,91390%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $4,071
↓ $1,450
No Pell $5,250
↓ $271
Dependent students $3,250
↓ $2,271
Independent students $6,000
↑ $479
Female students $4,560
↓ $961
Male students $3,825
↓ $1,696
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $3,500, less than completers ($5,521), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
32% of full-time students who enrolled at Meridian Community College graduate within six years, and 63% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
32%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
63%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Meridian Community College earn a median of $31,002 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$31,002
Earning > $25K
52%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$27,700
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$39,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$28,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,700
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $12,100, about 30% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↓
0.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 53% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Meridian Community College is home to 2,156 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 42% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
2,156
Part-Time
13%
First-Generation
42%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 48.4%1,043
White 44.2%953
Hispanic 2.6%56
Other 1.6%35
Asian 0.6%13
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Meridian Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteMeridian, Mississippi
Housing
Partly residential368 beds available
Adult Learners
27%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)
What You Can Study
Meridian Community College offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
43 distinct programs across
13 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Meridian Community College is 15:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,302
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$19M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$50,139
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
112 instructional faculty across 1 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Instructors
112
100%
$50,139
Pros & Cons of Meridian Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Meridian Community College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Very affordable net price after aid
Open admissions
Reasonable class sizes
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for:
Based on the data, Meridian Community College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low.
Frequently Asked Questions about Meridian Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Meridian Community College.
Is Meridian Community College hard to get into?
Meridian Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Meridian Community College?
Meridian Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Meridian Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Meridian Community College is $6,351 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Meridian Community College worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $31,002 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,351 per year. That's roughly 4.9x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Meridian Community College known for?
Meridian Community College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Meridian Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Meridian Community College are $31,002, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Meridian Community College accredited?
Yes. Meridian Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Meridian Community College?
Meridian Community College enrolls 2,156 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Meridian Community College?
Meridian Community College graduates 32% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Meridian Community College a public or private college?
Meridian Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Meridian Community College located?
Meridian Community College is located in Meridian, Mississippi.
What programs does Meridian Community College offer?
Meridian Community College offers 43 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Meridian Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Meridian Community College is 15:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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