Best Engineering Schools Near Laurel, MS (2026)

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

Laurel, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs. Laurel has a population of about 17,129. Median household income is $37,781 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 20.4% 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 Laurel

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Laurel, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Laurel 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 Laurel. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

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#1

Jones County Junior College

Ellisville, MS 7.6 miles from Laurel
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
45.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,377
Avg net price $6,048/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 27.8 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

East Central Community College

Decatur, MS 51.5 miles from Laurel
  • 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

#4

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Perkinston, MS 63.2 miles from Laurel
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,017
Avg net price $6,962/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 86

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Pearl River Community College

Poplarville, MS 63.3 miles from Laurel
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
52.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,019
Avg net price $6,532/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Copiah-Lincoln Community College

Wesson, MS 73.8 miles from Laurel
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,241
Avg net price $3,894/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 74.8 miles from Laurel
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
27.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $39,060
Avg net price $23,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Southwest Mississippi Community College

Summit, MS 81.4 miles from Laurel
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,227
Avg net price $2,525/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Engineering Wages Near Laurel

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.

Laurel at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 17,129 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $37,781 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 20.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Jones County 78 workers, 11 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Laurel-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Laurel, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Laurel. The closest is Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, MS (7.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pearl River Community College (63.3 miles). 4 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 Laurel workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Hattiesburg instead of Laurel?

Hattiesburg, MS is 28.7 miles from Laurel 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 Laurel an affordable place to study engineering?

Laurel’s median household income of $37,781 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Laurel 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 Laurel

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

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)