What Jackson State University does

Jackson State University is a public historically Black college and university (HBCU) founded in 1877 and located in Jackson, Mississippi, governed by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) Board. The institution offers more than 90 undergraduate programs and 50+ graduate degree programs across five colleges: Business, Education and Human Development, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Science/Engineering/Technology. JSU holds SACSCOC accreditation to award baccalaureate, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees, and is Carnegie-classified as a high research university with $25.8 million in annual research output. It is ranked #26 among HBCUs by U.S. News and World Report and maintains a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The university's core technology stack centers on the Canvas Learning Management System for online and hybrid course delivery, the Banner student information system (PAWS) for enrollment management, and Parchment plus National Student Clearinghouse for transcript exchange. JSU Online extends the institution's reach nationally through SARA (State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement) participation. Specialized research assets include the Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center (NIH-funded, 5,300+ participants tracked since 2000), the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab (Entergy-funded, energy-sector cybersecurity training), and digital preservation partnerships with George Mason University and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture for archiving materials documenting the Black experience.

JSU's business model is a hybrid of tuition and fees, federal and state grants (notably NIH and DOE Title III HBCU program funding), private foundation grants (Entergy, Harvard Legacy of Slavery), and athletics revenue (ESPN media rights, sponsorships, ticket sales). The go-to-market motion combines traditional sales-led admissions (campus tours, recruitment events) with direct-to-consumer online enrollment via JSU Online. The university serves a primarily Mississippi-based student population plus online and international learners, with JSU Global supporting international students. Recent operating challenges include student housing shortages, four presidential transitions in six years prior to the May 2025 appointment of Denise Jones Gregory as permanent president, and a $97,500 contract with AGB Search for executive leadership coaching — a first for a JSU president.

Name

Jackson State University

Legal name

Jackson State University

Website

https://jsums.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Jackson State University is a public HBCU founded in 1877 in Jackson, Mississippi, offering 90+ undergraduate and 50+ graduate programs across five colleges, with Carnegie-classified high research status, a 15:1 faculty ratio, and #26 US News HBCU ranking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public HBCUs (State-Supported) (EDAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Graduate & Professional-Program HBCUs (e.g., law/education/business) (EDAHAMAK), Health Sciences & Medical-Serving HBCUs (Nursing/Allied Health/Public Health) (EDAHAMAI), Online & Distance-Learning HBCUs (EDAHAMAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate studies programs
• Online distance learning
• Research university

Headquarters

HQ city

Jackson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate tuition, including in-state and out-of-state students, along with various student fees for educational services.
2. Federal and State Grants: Significant research funding from federal agencies including NIH ($14.5 million Jackson Heart Study contract) and DOE Title III programs supporting HBCU institutional development.
3. Foundation Grants and Donations: $2 million grant from Entergy Charitable Foundation for Power Grid Security Lab; funding from Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative supporting AHRI coalition.
4. Athletics Revenue: Revenue from athletic programs including ticket sales, media rights (ESPN broadcast agreements), and sponsorships for football and basketball programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Jackson State University is a public HBCU that delivers accredited undergraduate, graduate, and online degree programs (over 90 undergraduate and 50+ graduate programs) across five colleges, along with specialized research and workforce training programs such as the NIH-funded Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center and the Entergy-funded Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab. Courses are delivered on campus and via the JSU Online distance learning platform, supported by academic, athletic, and student support services.

Product overview

Jackson State University is a Carnegie-classified public HBCU offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs and research services. The institution operates JSU Online as its primary online learning platform, delivering over 90 undergraduate and 50+ graduate programs across five colleges including Business, Education, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Science/Engineering/Technology. Key specialized offerings include the Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center supporting cardiovascular research, the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab providing cybersecurity workforce training, and various graduate certificate programs in health and technical fields. Programs are delivered through Canvas LMS with student information managed via Banner/PAWS system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JSU Online
• Undergraduate Programs
• Division of Graduate Studies Programs
• Graduate Certificate Programs
• Jackson Heart Study Graduate Training and Education Center
• Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab
• School of Lifelong Learning

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Coalition of fifteen HBCUs launched to accelerate research excellence, expand institutional capacity, and elevate HBCU leadership in addressing societal challenges. Goal to increase number of HBCUs achieving R1 Carnegie Classification.
• George Mason UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with George Mason's Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media to digitize and archive century-old letters, photographs, and artifacts documenting the Black experience. Trains HBCU faculty and students in digital preservation methodologies.
• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and CulturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in first-of-its-kind initiative to digitize and preserve Black historical materials. Digitized collections will be displayed at the National Museum through summer 2026 and featured in a traveling museum.
• Tennessee TitansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the John A. Merritt Classic football game between Tennessee State and Jackson State at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium.
• ONE CommunityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the John A. Merritt Classic football game at Vanderbilt's FirstBank Stadium.
• University of Southern MississippiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartial funder of Cohort 4 of the Gulf Blue Navigator Program, a startup accelerator for blue-tech companies connecting startups with research infrastructure and industry collaboration along Mississippi Gulf Coast.
• U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Gulf Blue Navigator Program connecting startups with research infrastructure and field testing opportunities.
• Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association (LVNBA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with Christian Bishop to sponsor students to attend HBCU Classic at Allegiant Stadium featuring football game between Grambling State and Jackson State.
• HBCU Library AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHBCU Library Alliance collaborating with Jackson State University on preservation and digitization projects. Recipient of IMLS funding for HBCU preservation initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alcorn State University: Another public Mississippi HBCU governed by the same Mississippi IHL Board. Directly comparable on size, public-HBCU mission, athletics profile (SWAC), and rural-Mississippi student base.
• Florida A&M University: Public HBCU and R2 research university with similar Carnegie-tier research output, SWAC athletics profile, and comparable public-HBCU governance structure.
• Xavier University of Louisiana: Private HBCU renowned for STEM and health-sciences graduate pipelines. Comparable on graduate training, NIH-funded biomedical research, and producing African American graduates in health professions.
• Tuskegee University: Private HBCU with comparable Carnegie research classification, strong STEM and health-sciences programs, and similar emphasis on workforce-development partnerships with federal agencies.
• Hampton University: Private HBCU with comparable Carnegie research classification, doctoral programs, and similar online/distance learning posture. Comparable Title III federal funding profile.
• Grambling State University: Public HBCU and SWAC athletics peer with comparable Carnegie classification, public HBCU governance structure, and similar athletic brand-building strategy around high-profile matchups.
• Mississippi Valley State University: Public Mississippi HBCU under the Mississippi IHL Board. Comparable Carnegie classification tier, SWAC athletics, and similar undergraduate teaching emphasis in the Mississippi Delta.
• Southern University: Public HBCU system in Louisiana with a Carnegie high-research flagship. Closely comparable on public HBCU mission, SWAC athletics, doctoral degree offerings, and Title III HBCU funding profile.

Regional players

• Tougaloo College: Private HBCU located near Jackson, Mississippi. Comparable in serving the same regional African American student pipeline and producing graduates who feed into JSU graduate programs.

Broad incumbents

• Howard University: The leading private HBCU and R1 research institution. Comparable on HBCU mission, federal research funding, and graduate programs, but materially larger endowment and national brand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jacksonstateU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/jsutigers1877
• Facebookfacebook.com/19312397001
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jackson-state-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/jacksonstateu

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jackson State University