Is Hinds Community College Worth It?

Hinds Community College costs about $3,000 a year net, and your median debt at graduation is under $10,000. That low cost is the whole story here, because the median earnings ten years out sit below $31,000. The degree only pays off if you pick your program carefully and finish it.

The health programs are where the money is. The associate nursing track pays roughly $55,000, about $24,000 more than the school-wide median, and it carries the highest debt on the list at around $13,000 , a trade worth making. The two allied health associate programs both clear $48,000. Below those, the gap widens fast: electrical and power transmission lands near $37,000, and the practical nursing certificate pays about the same. Every strong number here comes from a health or skilled-trade credential, so if you enroll planning something outside those fields, your earnings likely track the low school-wide median.

The biggest risk is the 42% graduation rate. More than half of students don't finish, and if you leave with debt but no credential, the low net price stops protecting you. Cheap tuition only works if you walk out with the associate degree.

The net price tiers are unusually flat and low. If your family earns under $48,000, you pay around $2,300 to $2,400 a year. Above $75,000, it climbs to roughly $7,000 to $8,000 , still low for college, but more than double the bottom tier.

This is a good fit if you're aiming for nursing or allied health and can commit to finishing. If you want a general associate degree with no specific career target, the earnings data gives you little reason to expect a strong return, and you should look at where a transfer to a four-year program leads before enrolling.