Quad

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MSQuad's selectivityOpen
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

10 in 10 applicants admitted

U. Southern Mississippi admits about 10 in 10 applicants (99%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 4% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

99%

99%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

7,048

Admitted

6,986

Yield

25%

of admits enroll

ACT middle 50%

20–29

1836
Applications +20% since fall 2014 · admit rate 67% → 99%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 10,075 undergrads, where 46% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

10.1K

undergrads · larger than 89% of colleges

Diversity index

0.60

Pell Grant

46%

above the median

First generation

33%

about the median

Small cityNCAA D-I FBS · Sun Belt ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.53 → 0.60 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (7% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 100% of faculty are full-time. Spends $8,263 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

7% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians

$89.9K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

100%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$8.3K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,262 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7K less than the national median. The 95% who received grants paid $15,095 on average; the other 5% paid the full sticker price of $27,102 in-state / $29,102 out-of-state.

37%

$17.3K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$27,102 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 37% of full price

Federal loans

48%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −7% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $44,140 ten years after enrolling, more than at 22% of colleges; 53% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.6 years of that salary.

53%

53%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$44.1K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$22.5K

≈ $239/month for 10 years

Retention

72%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 48% → 49% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 6% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 20% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 67% to 99%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −7% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +20%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 67% → 99%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.53 → 0.60

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

California State University-Monterey Bay

97% admit · 6.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

Troy University

96% admit · SAT 1075 · 9.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side

West Texas A & M University

99% admit · SAT 1060 · 6.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

California State University-Stanislaus

98% admit · 8.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    University of Southern Mississippi Common Data Set 2025–26

    University of Southern Mississippi · 2025–26; Fall 2026 cycle · retrieved 2026-10-05

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    University of Southern Mississippi (2026)

    University of Southern Mississippi · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 176372 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything