The Cost of College Is Crushing Dreams. Mississippi Has a Better Way

When I graduated high school, I didn’t go straight to a four-year university. Instead of signing myself up for a lifetime of student loan debt, I chose a better way—community college, paid for in full by various scholarships. At the time, I felt the stigma many Mississippians know too well — the idea that starting at a community college somehow meant I’d “settled” for less.

This couldn't be further from the truth. Community college was one of the smartest decisions I ever made. At Southwest Mississippi Community College, I had professors who changed the trajectory of my life. My public speaking professor, Jennifer McLaughlin, reignited my passion for communications and pushed me to seek out opportunities in that career field. That path opened scholarship doors and opportunities that led me to graduate virtually debt-free.

A year at a Mississippi community college costs just under $4,500, compared to about $24,000 for in-state students at a four-year school. For families already stretching every paycheck, that difference is decisive. Many community colleges also offer tuition guarantees for local graduates, athletic scholarships, and work-study opportunities. In some cases, that means the first two years of college can be nearly debt-free.

Contrast that with national trends: the average student loan debt in the U.S. is around $30,000, while community college students in Mississippi who do borrow average only $6,600 in loans. For most Americans, the path to a college degree translates to a crushing financial burden for decades, sometimes the rest of their lives. Thanks to the community college system in our state, this doesn’t have to be the case.

Another persistent myth is that starting at a community college somehow puts students “behind” academically and in their future career. The reality in Mississippi tells a different story. Students who transfer from community colleges to our public universities are nearly 1.5 times more likely to graduate than students who enter those universities directly from high school. At institutions like Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, transfer students consistently perform at or above the academic level of native university students. In 2022, the average GPA of Mississippi community college transfers was 3.27, compared to 3.23 for students who began at the university. These are not students who struggled; these are students who were better prepared.

Unlike community colleges in other states, Mississippi’s are built for this success, operating as the nation's oldest statewide community college system. They offer students scholarships, dorms, athletics, and extracurriculars that make the transition to university life seamless. Their rigorous two-year academic programs are designed specifically to transition into four-year institutions. Students who arrive at universities from Mississippi’s community colleges are not just ready to survive, but to thrive.

My own experience is a testament to this. Dr. McLaughlin recommended that I continue my path in communication at Mississippi State University and learn under Dr. John Forde, who taught my very first class at MSU. On campus, I quickly sought out opportunities to become involved on campus, becoming a founding member of a new fraternity; Alpha Tau Omega, a Senator in the Student Association, and a founding intern of the MSU Speaking Center, where I assisted students with public speaking engagements of all levels. I wasn’t just catching up to the rest of the student body–I was helping lead them.

My story isn’t unique. I’ve seen countless fellow students take the same route: community college, transferring to a four-year university, and graduating with little to no debt. Many now work across the country, but even more have stayed right here in Mississippi, giving back to the very communities that poured into us.

Community colleges are not only an advantage for students, but our state. Community college graduates support more than 15,000 jobs and generate nearly $1.2 billion in GDP each year. The colleges themselves employ over 8,100 people, producing nearly $2 billion in annual economic activity through operations and student spending. To sustain Mississippi’s recent economic explosion, we need pathways to affordable education. That’s what Mississippi’s community colleges have been doing for nearly 100 years.

The talent they educate? It stays here at home. A study commissioned by the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges found that 75% of community college graduates remain in-state after graduation, a rate higher than that of their four-year university counterparts. If Mississippi wants a well-educated workforce that invests back into our local communities, look no further than down the street.

Mississippi’s community college system represents one of the most strategic educational investments our state has ever made. They lower debt, boost graduation rates, keep talent here at home, and strengthen our economy. Most importantly, they give young people a sense of hope that affordable higher education is still within reach. This is the story we don’t tell enough: Our community colleges are not a consolation prize, but one of our greatest advantages.

It’s time to stop treating community college as a second-choice option but what it is: the best chance at a successful, debt-free education and career. It’s time to celebrate, not stigmatize, the institutions that have built thousands of successful careers, fostered mentorships that last decades, and kept Mississippi thriving.

Josh Riggs is a native Mississippian and graduate of the state’s public education system at all levels, including Mississippi’s K-12 public schools, Southwest Mississippi Community College, and Mississippi State University. He currently works as an Advocacy Account Executive for Drive Public Affairs.