Best Higher Education Administration Schools Near Tupelo, MS

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Tupelo, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering higher education administration programs, with tuition ranging from $12,180 to $34,172 per year for indexed programs. Tupelo has a population of about 37,825. Median household income is $66,314 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Mississippi, the top-earning higher education administration-related role is Education Administrators, Postsecondary at a median $86,590 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Higher Education Administration Schools to Tupelo

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer higher education administration programs near Tupelo, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Tupelo 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 Tupelo. 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

University of Mississippi

University, MS 46.6 miles from Tupelo
  • 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

#2

Mississippi State University

Mississippi State, MS 56.0 miles from Tupelo
  • 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

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#3

Jackson State University

Jackson, MS 160.5 miles from Tupelo
  • 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

#4

Mississippi College

Clinton, MS 162.1 miles from Tupelo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,485
Avg net price $27,712/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 79

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 205.9 miles from Tupelo
  • 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

#6

William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS 207.0 miles from Tupelo
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,087
Avg net price $14,258/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,480
Out‑of‑state$15,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Higher Education Administration Wages Near Tupelo

Occupation Median Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Education Administrators, Postsecondary $86,590
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $58,710
Instructional Coordinators $61,830
Training and Development Specialists $53,680
Education Administrators, All Other $83,890
Education Teachers, Postsecondary $61,860
Social and Community Service Managers $67,330
Human Resources Specialists $60,300

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.

Tupelo at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 37,825 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $66,314 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Tupelo-Area Cities With Higher Education Administration Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited higher education administration schools are near Tupelo, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering higher education administration programs near Tupelo. The closest is University of Mississippi in University, MS (46.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is The University of Alabama (99.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying higher education administration roles in Mississippi?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying higher education administration-related roles in Mississippi are: Education Administrators, Postsecondary ($86,590), Education Administrators, All Other ($83,890), Social and Community Service Managers ($67,330). Wages for Tupelo workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Oxford instead of Tupelo?

Oxford, MS is 46.1 miles from Tupelo and has its own set of local higher education administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Tupelo an affordable place to study higher education administration?

Tupelo’s median household income of $66,314 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Tupelo 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 Higher Education Administration Programs

Other Programs Available in Tupelo

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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