William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS · SoutheastQuad's selectivitySelective

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

William Carey admits about 6 in 10 applicants (60%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 76% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

60%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

841

Admitted

507

Yield

48%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1040–1290

8001600

ACT middle 50%

19–25

1836

Applications +1% since fall 2014 · admit rate 50% → 60%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 2,201 undergrads, where 27% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

2.2K

undergrads · larger than 60% of colleges

Diversity index

0.58

Pell Grant

27%

below the median

First generation

36%

above the median

Small cityNAIA · Southern States Athletic ConferenceROTCStudy abroad

More diverse · index 0.54 → 0.58 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (22% of graduates). 14 students for every faculty member, more than at 58% of colleges. 57% of faculty are full-time. Spends $12,293 a year on instruction per student.

14 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 58% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $16,519 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.8K less than the national median. The 100% who received grants paid $15,469 on average; the other 0% paid the full sticker price of $31,068.

47%

$16.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.8K below the national median

Full price: $31,068 a year; tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid: Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Merit aid: 41% · avg $14K; of first-years got a grant without federal aid (a proxy: at most colleges that's merit aid)

Aid generosity

Generous

grants cover 47% of full price

Federal loans

25%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost falling · −20% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $43,087 ten years after enrolling, more than at 19% of colleges; 52% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

52%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$43.1K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.8K

≈ $221/month for 10 years

Retention

78%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 58% → 60% 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 8% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 20%, because grants grew faster. Applications held about steady since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 50% to 60%.

Cost
Falling
−20% after inflation
Applications
Steady
+1%
Selectivity
Less selective
admit rate 50% → 60%
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.54 → 0.58

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Milwaukee School of Engineering

59% admit · 2.7K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso private

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University of Charleston

62% admit · 2.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast

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Abilene Christian University

66% admit · SAT 1170 · 3.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso private

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Cumberland University

67% admit · 2.1K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso SoutheastAlso private

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
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
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
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
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
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
William Carey University (2026)
William Carey University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 176479 · 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