Rust College
Rust College at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Rust College Featured Rankings
- #6 Best Christian Colleges in Mississippi
- #6 Best Private Colleges in Mississippi 2026
- #7 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Mississippi
- #9 Best Small Colleges in Mississippi
- #10 Most Affordable Colleges in Mississippi 2026
- #13 Best Colleges in Mississippi 2026
- #17 Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship
About Rust College
According to Wikipedia, Rust College is a private historically black college in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Founded in 1866, it is the second-oldest private college in the state. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it is one of ten historically black colleges and universities founded before 1868 that are still operating.
Rust College Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,715 | 49% | 84% | 11% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Rust College Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $13,265 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $12,143 |
| 30K - 48K | $13,526 |
| 48K - 75K | $13,937 |
| 75K - 110K | $13,449 |
| 110K+ | $17,876 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Rust College Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Rust College students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $35,151 a year, and 91% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Rust College's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads |
|---|---|
| 517 | 517 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Rust College?
Rust College is located at 150 Rust Avenue, Holly Springs, MS 38635.
How Safe is Rust College?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Rust College publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Rust College has a violent crime rate of 0.64% and a property crime rate of 0.43%. Holly Springs has a violent crime rate of 0.18% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 0.35%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Rust College Known For?
Rust College is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Medical
- Business
- Literature
- Political Science
- Biology
- Education
- Social Work
- Criminal Justice
- Computer Science
Rust College's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Rust College's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Rust College ranks #483 in the U.S. and #1663 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesRust College ranks #549 in the U.S. and #2266 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesRust College ranks #911 in the U.S. and #3967 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesRust College ranks #972 in the U.S. and #3391 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesRust College ranks #1049 in the U.S. and #3889 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesRust College ranks #1235 in the U.S. and #3745 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesRust College ranks #1356 in the U.S. and #5788 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesRust College ranks #1390 in the U.S. and #5690 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesRust College ranks #1634 in the U.S. and #6409 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesRust College ranks #1666 in the U.S. and #4366 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesRust College ranks #1967 in the U.S. and #3897 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesRust College ranks #2512 in the U.S. and #9545 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Rust College's Most Influential Alumni?
Rust College's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Sociology, Mathematics, and History. Here are some of Rust College's most famous alumni:
- Ida B. Wells
- An African-American civil rights activist .
- Clinton LeSueur
- A Journalist.
- Willie Mitchell
- An American record producer and arranger.
- Anita Ward
- An American singer.
- Larry Anderson
- An American basketball coach.
- Gwendolyn Wilson Fowler
- An African-American pharmacist.
- Leslie B. McLemore
- An American mayor.
- Dembo M. Badjie
- A Politician.
- F.C. Richardson
- An American academic.
- Jim Thomas
- A Canadian football player.
