Don't be fooled by the name: The Mississippi University for Women actually began accepting men in 1982. But when the Columbus, Mississippi, university was first founded in 1884, it was the first public women’s college in the U.S.
Women still make up the majority of the student body, with men accounting for about 24% of enrollment. The university accepts most applicants and enrolls roughly 2,400 undergraduates. Its fall 2025 class marked the school’s largest enrollment increase in nearly a decade, growing by about 8%.
MUW keeps costs relatively affordable, with an average annual price around $12,000 after factoring in financial aid. The university also offers two flat-rate tuition programs. Its RN-to-BSN Program for nursing students costs $10,000 to complete, while its Master’s of Business Administration program carries the same $10,000 price tag for all 36 credit hours.
Students can choose from more than 70 undergraduate majors across four academic colleges, with nursing, business and public health among the most popular fields of study. Outside the classroom, MUW has 17 intercollegiate athletic teams. Although MUW became co-ed in the early 1980s, men’s sports were not introduced until 2017. The school’s mascot, Ody Owl, takes inspiration from a terracotta owl statue that has been perched on top of the college’s historic Orr Chapel since 1885. The mascot’s name also honors Emma Ody Pohl, who led MUW’s Education Department for nearly 50 years.
