JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Enrollment is falling slightly at Mississippi's eight public universities and 15 community colleges.
Preliminary counts released Thursday show students decreasing 1 percent at universities and community colleges.
Jackson State University is shrinking 10 percent, the most among four universities where the number of students is falling. It's the second year of double-digit declines at Jackson State after a financial crisis led the school to cut back on student financial aid.
The University of Southern Mississippi grew 1.8 percent, the most among four universities that added students. The university says overall enrollment is the largest since 2014.
Mississippi Delta Community College grew fastest among the eight community colleges that added students. Enrollment shrank by the largest percentage at Meridian Community College.
UNIVERSITIES
Alcorn State: 3,753, + 1 percent
Delta State: 3,784, -0.1 percent
Jackson State: 7,709, -9.9 percent
Miss. State: 22,201 +1.5 percent
Miss. Univ. for Women: 2,738, - 1.8 percent
Miss. Valley State: 2,406, +0.9 percent
Univ. of Miss.: 23,258, -2.2 percent
Univ. of Southern Miss.: 14,743, +1.8 percent
Total all universities: 80,592, -1 percent
COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Coahoma: 1,911, -5.2 percent
Copiah-Lincoln: 3,123, +0.8 percent
East Central: 2,606, -0.7 percent
East Miss.: 4,086, -1.9 percent
Hinds: 11,833, flat
Holmes: 5,953, -2 percent
Itawamba: 5,280, -1 percent
Jones: 4,649, +0.5 percent
Meridian: 3,298, -6.3 percent
Miss. Delta: 2,423, +3.2 percent
Miss. Gulf Coast: 9,258, +0.5 percent
Northeast Miss.: 3,601, +2.9 percent
Northwest Miss. 7,221, -5.8 percent
Pearl River: 5,011, +2.6 percent
Southwest Miss.: 2,002, +2.9 percent
Total all comm. colleges: 72,255, -0.8 percent