Best Online Nursing Programs in Columbus, MS (2026)

Columbus, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $3,420 to $14,779 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $198,410 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Columbus

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing 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.

#1

East Mississippi Community College

Scooba, MS 47.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score 57.7
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Itawamba Community College

Fulton, MS 53.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score 63.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Northeast Mississippi Community College

Booneville, MS 80.5 miles from Columbus BOC Score 56.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Meridian Community College

Meridian, MS 80.9 miles from Columbus BOC Score 50.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,002
Avg net price $6,351/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

East Central Community College

Decatur, MS 84.2 miles from Columbus BOC Score 46.4
  • 2 year
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: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Mississippi

University, MS 87.0 miles from Columbus BOC Score 70.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Holmes Community College

Goodman, MS 94.3 miles from Columbus BOC Score 53.5
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 60

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Northwest Mississippi Community College

Senatobia, MS 117.8 miles from Columbus BOC Score 47.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,396
Avg net price $7,911/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Nursing Wages Near Columbus

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (Mississippi, statewide)
Registered Nurse$77,090
Licensed Practical Nurse$50,220
Nurse Anesthetist$198,410
Nurse MidwifeN/A
Nurse Practitioner$124,730
Nursing Assistant$31,520

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

MetricValueSource
Population23,616Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$40,588Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+25.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Columbus, MS?

Accredited schools offering nursing programs near Columbus are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles in Mississippi?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles in Mississippi are: Nurse Anesthetist ($198,410), Nurse Practitioner ($124,730), Registered Nurse ($77,090). 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 nursing 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 nursing?

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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Columbus

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

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.