Hinds Community vs Mississippi Gulf Coast Community: Softball Program Comparison
Two JUCO programs in the MACCC. Hinds Community lists $375 less in out-of-state tuition; Mississippi Gulf Coast Community graduates 5 points more of its students.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Hinds Community if…
- You would be in-state: Hinds Community is $125 cheaper per year on published in-state tuition than Mississippi Gulf Coast Community.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Hinds Community is $629 lower than at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community.
Lean Mississippi Gulf Coast Community if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community graduates 5 percentage points more of its students than Hinds Community.
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Mississippi Gulf Coast Community graduates earn about $2,243 more per year a decade after enrolling.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Hinds Community | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community |
|---|---|---|
| In-state tuition & fees | $3,825 — Hinds Community leads on this measure: lower published in-state tuition | $3,950 |
| Out-of-state tuition & fees | $6,875 — Hinds Community leads on this measure: lower published out-of-state tuition | $7,250 |
| Room & board | $5,700 | $5,500 — Mississippi Gulf Coast Community leads on this measure: lower room & board |
| Est. in-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $9,525 | $9,450 |
| Est. out-of-state year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $12,575 | $12,750 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Hinds Community | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 42% | 47% — Mississippi Gulf Coast Community leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $30,774/yr | $33,017/yr — Mississippi Gulf Coast Community leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $9,371 — Hinds Community leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door | $10,000 |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 30% | 30% |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Hinds Community | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community |
|---|---|---|
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 9,332 | 8,091 |
| Where it is | Raymond, MS | Perkinston, MS |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Hinds Community | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community |
|---|---|---|
| Head coach | Mike Grzanich | Izzy Werdann |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Hinds Community | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | Yes |
| Program on X / Instagram | Yes | — |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges), so the scholarship rules are identical: varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. Do both, then follow with a short email to each staff.
Hinds Community
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Hinds Community vs Mississippi Gulf Coast Community: common questions
- Is Hinds Community or Mississippi Gulf Coast Community cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $12,575 a year out of state in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Hinds Community or Mississippi Gulf Coast Community?
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community, at 47% against 42% at Hinds Community (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Hinds Community and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at JUCO (NJCAA & community colleges): varies by njcaa division. Scholarship availability at junior colleges varies by NJCAA division — some can offer full athletic scholarships, some offer tuition-level aid, and NJCAA Division III offers no athletic aid.
- How do I contact the coaches at Hinds Community and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community?
- Both programs run a recruiting questionnaire, and that is the right first move — it is exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit it at any age. Fill out both, then follow with an email to each staff.
Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Hinds Community and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
Track both programs, log every coach you contact, and see where you actually stand against each one's recruiting profile.
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