Jackson State University

Stats

College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.

Nearest large-hub airport: 333 mi (BNA)

On 1 of our 111 lists

Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.

• Most Selective Colleges in Mississippi#9

Applying

Common App member

Yes

Application fee

$25

Personal essay

Optional / not required

Writing supplement

No

Deadlines and essay flags come from the Common App Requirements Grid, joined by school name. Always confirm against the school’s own admissions page before applying.

Best-paying fields of study

Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 45 reported programs.

Campus facts

• A Historically Black College or University (HBCU)source
• Founded in 1877source
• Athletic nickname: "Lady Tigers"source
• Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium seats about 60,492source
• Competes in NCAA Division Isource
• School colors: Whitesource
• Mascot: Bengal Tigersource
• Motto: "Excellentia academia investigatio et officium (Latin)"source
• Formerly known as "Natchez Seminary"source
• Formerly known as "(1877–1883)"source
• Formerly known as "Jackson College"source
• Formerly known as "(1883–1940)"source
• Formerly known as "Mississippi Negro Training School"source
• Formerly known as "(1940–1944)"source
• Formerly known as "Jackson College for Negro Teachers"source
• Formerly known as "(1944–1967)"source
• Formerly known as "Jackson State College"source
• Formerly known as "(1967–1974)"source
• Athletic conference: FCSsource
• A [[National Sea Grant College Program institutionsource
• A sea-grant]] institutionsource
• A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
• A space-grant]]}} institutionsource
• Plays for the "BoomBox Classic" (since 1929)source
• Football rivalry: Soul Bowl (since 1927)source
• 1 Nobel laureate affiliatedsource
• Fight song: ""Cheer Boys""source
• Notable alum: Cassandra Wilsonsource
• Notable alum: Laphonza Butlersource

Athletics — 9 sports

NCAA Division I-FCS · NCAA Division I

Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $3,594,060 (M $2,055,122 · W $1,538,938)

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Bowling
• Football
• Soccer
• Softball
• Tennis
• Track and Field and Cross Country (combined)
• Volleyball

Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.

Similar-size colleges

Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Jackson State University’s 4,769 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.

Key links

• Official websitejsums.edu
• College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 175856)
• Compare colleges in MSRe-score with your weights
• The Most Selective Colleges in MississippiEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
• Compare with Mississippi CollegeSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
• Showdown: Jackson State University vs Mississippi CollegeHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
• Sports directoryAll 9 EADA programs at this school
• Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
• MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
• How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
• Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
• What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
• A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.