University of Southern Mississippi

www.usm.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$9,508

1.8% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$14,050

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

99.4%

8,818 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

13,110

75.2% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

50.6%

958 Graduates

About

University of Southern Mississippi is a higher education institution located in Forrest County, MS. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Southern Mississippi were Elementary Education & Teaching (212 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (192 degrees), and Registered Nursing (168 degrees).

In 2023, 3,958 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Southern Mississippi. 67.1% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 32.9% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (2,560 degrees), 2.89 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (887 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Southern Mississippi is $9,508, which is $−21,495 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of Southern Mississippi was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 3,877 total borrowers.

Photo by hattiesburgmemory

Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Southern Mississippi is $9,508, which is $21,496 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $14,050.

In 2023, 80% of undergraduate students attending University of Southern Mississippi received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 50% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$9,508

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at University of Southern Mississippi was $9,508. The cost of tuition at University of Southern Mississippi is $−21,496 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Southern Mississippi (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$14,050

2023 Value

2.61%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 University of Southern Mississippi had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $14,050. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of University of Southern Mississippi grew by 2.61%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of Southern Mississippi (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,619

Room and Board

$1,400

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Southern Mississippi was of $10,619 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 3.29% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,400. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of Southern Mississippi (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

80%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

50%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

80% of undergraduate students at University of Southern Mississippi received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 14.9% with respect to 2022, when 94% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of Southern Mississippi (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of Southern Mississippi was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 3877 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of Southern Mississippi received 8,818 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 2.57% annual growth. Out of those 8,818 applicants, 8,763 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 99.4% acceptance rate.

There were 13,110 students enrolled at University of Southern Mississippi in 2023.

University of Southern Mississippi has an overall enrollment yield of 19.8%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

99.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

8,763

Accepted Out of 8,818

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Southern Mississippi was 99.4% (8,763 admissions from 8,818 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 98.8%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants declined by 2.57%, while admissions declined by 2.05%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Southern Mississippi (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

0% of enrolled first-time students at University of Southern Mississippi in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Southern Mississippi had a total enrollment of 13,110 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at University of Southern Mississippi is 9,857 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,253. This means that 75.2% of students enrolled at University of Southern Mississippi are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of Southern Mississippi, both undergraduate and graduate, is 56.7% White, 26.6% Black or African American, 4.82% Hispanic or Latino, 3.76% Two or More Races, 1.63% Asian, 0.397% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0763% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Southern Mississippi in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (37.5%), followed by White Male (20.1%) and Black or African American Female (19.9%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (34.8%), followed by White Male (19.6%) and Black or African American Female (11.2%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

75.2%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Southern Mississippi in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 13,110 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Southern Mississippi is 9,857 and the part-time enrollment is 3,253. This means that 75.2% of students enrolled at University of Southern Mississippi are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Southern Mississippi (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

70%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Southern Mississippi was 70%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of Southern Mississippi had a retention rate lower than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Southern Mississippi (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
7,439 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,481 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
632 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Southern Mississippi is 56.7% White, 26.6% Black or African American, 4.82% Hispanic or Latino, 3.76% Two or More Races, 1.63% Asian, 0.397% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0763% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 147 students (1.12%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 1,356 more women than men received degrees from University of Southern Mississippi. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Southern Mississippi is white (2,560 degrees awarded). There were 2.89 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (887 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Southern Mississippi is Elementary Education & Teaching (212 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (192 degrees) and Registered Nursing (168 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Southern Mississippi, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (228 degrees awarded), Applied Sciences (14 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (198 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern Mississippi are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,545,746 people), Secondary school teachers (529,621 people), Education administrators (281,974 people), Special education teachers (209,328 people), and Preschool & kindergarten teachers (201,829 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Southern Mississippi in 2023 are Library Science (228 degrees awarded), Applied Sciences (14 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (198 degrees), Human Sciences (130 degrees), and Education (548 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Diagnostic medical sonographers

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern Mississippi are Diagnostic medical sonographers, Surgeons, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at University of Southern Mississippi are Library Science (228 degrees awarded), Applied Sciences (14 degrees), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (198 degrees), Human Sciences (130 degrees), and Education (548 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Southern Mississippi are Elementary & secondary schools (298,738 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (135,987 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (107,292 people), Computer Systems Design (89,460 people), and Legal services (79,578 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Southern Mississippi.

Most Common (2023)

Elementary Education & Teaching
212 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
192 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
168 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Southern Mississippi was Elementary Education & Teaching with 212 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of Southern Mississippi according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

1,301

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

2,657

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 1,301 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern Mississippi, which is 0.49 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (2,657).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Southern Mississippi by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 142 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern Mississippi in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.768 times less than the 185 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 205 degrees were awarded to men at University of Southern Mississippi in Elementary Education & Teaching, which is 29.3 times more than the 7 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

32%

100% Completion Time

52%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 32% of students graduating from University of Southern Mississippi completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 52% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 53% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (81.8%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at University of Southern Mississippi is Female and Asian (81.8% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.88% of graduates (18 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
2,560 degrees awarded
Black or African American
887 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
152 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Southern Mississippi is white (2,560 degrees awarded). There were 2.89 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (887 degrees).

0.505% of degree recipients (20 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Female
1,686 degrees awarded
White Male
874 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
653 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Southern Mississippi is white female (1,686 degrees awarded). There were 1.93 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (874 degrees).

Operations

University of Southern Mississippi has an endowment valued at nearly $140M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 3.92M (2.8%) compared to the 4.37% average return (19M on 434M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2023, University of Southern Mississippi had a total salary expenditure of 373M. University of Southern Mississippi employs 225 Assistant professors, 183 Associate professors and 145 Professors. Most academics at University of Southern Mississippi are Female Assistant professor (119), Male Assistant professor (106), and Male Associate professor (105).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Southern Mississippi are: Business and Financial Operations, with 333 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 209 employees, and Service with 193 employees.

Endowment

$140M

2023 Endowment

7.37%

growth from 2022

University of Southern Mississippi has an endowment valued at about $140M, as of the end of the 2023 fiscal year. The endowment of University of Southern Mississippi grew 7.37% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $294M lower than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of Southern Mississippi (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$159M

2023 Salaries

6.31%

growth from 2022

In 2023, University of Southern Mississippi paid a median of $159M in salaries, which represents 42.5% of their overall expenditure ($373M) and a 6.31% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 4.13% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 1.51% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$52.7M

Instructional Salaries

668

Number of Employees

In 2023, University of Southern Mississippi paid a total of $52.7M to 668 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Assistant professor

Most Common Instructor

225 Employees

Business and Financial Operations

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

333 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Southern Mississippi were Assistant professor with 225 employees, Associate professor with 183 employees, and Professor with 145 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Southern Mississippi were Business and Financial Operations with 333 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 209 employees, and Service with 193 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Female Assistant professor
Male Assistant professor
Male Associate professor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Southern Mississippi was Female Assistant professor with 119 employees, Male Assistant professor with 106 employees, and Male Associate professor with 105 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of Southern Mississippi.

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