Best Engineering Schools Near Columbus, MS (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Columbus, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $12,180 to $34,172 per year for indexed programs. Columbus has a population of about 23,616. Median household income is $40,588 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 25.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $142,790 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Engineering Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Columbus, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Columbus city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Columbus. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 22.0 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
61.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,513
Avg net price $17,595/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 83%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

East Mississippi Community College

Scooba, MS 47.0 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
57.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,772
Avg net price $4,608/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 65

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Itawamba Community College

Fulton, MS 53.1 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,912
Avg net price $4,616/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Booneville, MS 80.6 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,081
Avg net price $8,343/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

East Central Community College

Decatur, MS 84.2 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
46.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 44%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,421
Avg net price $5,240/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Mississippi

University, MS 87.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
70.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $50,994
Avg net price $13,314/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 124

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

Holmes Community College

Goodman, MS 94.5 miles from Columbus
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,922
Avg net price $5,643/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Mississippi Valley State University

Itta Bena, MS 111.1 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 35%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,919
Avg net price $9,686/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Mississippi schools on the Mississippi engineering page.

Engineering Wages Near Columbus

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Civil Engineer $100,170
Electrical Engineer $104,990
Mechanical Engineer $98,000
Chemical Engineer $106,740
Aerospace Engineer $109,200
Biomedical Engineer $96,710
Environmental Engineer $91,100
Architectural and Engineering Manager $142,790

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Columbus at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 23,616 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $40,588 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 25.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Lowndes County 72 workers, 11 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Columbus, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Columbus. The closest is Mississippi State University in Mississippi State, MS (22.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Shelton State Community College (56.0 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles in Mississippi?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in Mississippi are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($142,790), Aerospace Engineer ($109,200), Chemical Engineer ($106,740). Wages for Columbus workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Starkville instead of Columbus?

Starkville, MS is 24.2 miles from Columbus and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Columbus an affordable place to study engineering?

Columbus’s median household income of $40,588 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Columbus:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Engineering Schools in Mississippi (2026)