Pearl River Community College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Poplarville, Mississippi. It enrolls 4,903 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
68/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes35
Value68
Affordability73
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Pearl River 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 Pearl River 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 $6,532 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$6,532
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
52%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
28%
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)
$3,700
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,100
Room & Board (on-campus)
$5,702
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,802
Books & Supplies
$1,350
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,934
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$7,150
Total Cost of Attendance
$14,832
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$5,647
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,978
$48,001 – $75,000
$5,363
$75,001 – $110,000
$6,217
Over $110,000
$8,460
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.
$1,59210%percentile
$2,40725%percentile
$9,750Medianpercentile
$8,00075%percentile
$13,52590%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 $6,200
↓ $3,550
No Pell $6,434
↓ $3,316
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,250
Independent students $9,500
↓ $250
Female students $6,500
↓ $3,250
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,250
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,750), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
29% of full-time students who enrolled at Pearl River Community College graduate within six years, and 63% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
29%
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 Pearl River Community College earn a median of $33,019 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$33,019
Earning > $25K
55%
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
$42,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$30,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$39,400
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$44,200
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,100, about 35% 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.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
5.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 63% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Pearl River Community College is home to 4,903 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 42% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
4,903
Part-Time
16%
First-Generation
42%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 57.7%2,827
Black 33.7%1,654
Other 0.8%40
Asian 0.7%34
Hispanic 0.7%33
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Pearl River Community College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: RemotePoplarville, Mississippi
Housing
Partly residential1,019 beds available
Adult Learners
21%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Pearl River Community College offers
a varied set of programs:
39 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 Pearl River Community College is 27:1, high (larger classes are common).
Student : Faculty
27:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,238
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$7,916
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$55,951
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
157 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
No Rank
157
100%
$55,951
Pros & Cons of Pearl River Community College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Pearl River 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
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
Low typical debt at graduation
First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
Larger class sizes than typical
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, Pearl River 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 Pearl River Community College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Pearl River Community College.
Is Pearl River Community College hard to get into?
Pearl River Community College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Pearl River Community College?
Pearl River Community College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Pearl River Community College cost?
The average net price after aid at Pearl River Community College is $6,532 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Pearl River Community College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $33,019 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $6,532 per year. That's roughly 5.1x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Pearl River Community College known for?
Pearl River 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 Pearl River Community College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Pearl River Community College are $33,019, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Pearl River Community College accredited?
Yes. Pearl River Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Pearl River Community College?
Pearl River Community College enrolls 4,903 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Pearl River Community College?
Pearl River Community College graduates 29% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Pearl River Community College a public or private college?
Pearl River Community College is a Public institution.
Where is Pearl River Community College located?
Pearl River Community College is located in Poplarville, Mississippi.
What programs does Pearl River Community College offer?
Pearl River Community College offers 39 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Pearl River Community College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Pearl River Community College is 27:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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