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University of Southern Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi admits nearly everyone — 99.1% of applicants. A feature, not a flaw: the page below asks whether University of Southern Mississippi is worth attending, not whether you'll get in.
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University of Southern Mississippi sits in Hattiesburg proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians, where graduates median $89,904 four years out. Faculty pay averages $104,364 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 10,075 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 72.1% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 19 and 27 on the ACT composite. Put your own practice estimate on University of Southern Mississippi's range with the ACT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
University of Southern Mississippi requires SAT or ACT scores from all applicants — the middle 50% ranges below describe University of Southern Mississippi's full admitted class, not a self-selected subset.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 19 | 22 | 27 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of Southern Mississippi received 8,818 applications and admitted 8,763 (99.4%), with 1,733 enrolling.
How University of Southern Mississippi compares
| University of Southern Mississippi | Mississippi median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 99.1% | 77.6% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $9,998 | $10,202 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $44,140 | $42,539 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Southern Mississippi student earns $44,140 — 4% above the Mississippi median of $42,539 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of Southern Mississippi prices by residency: $9,998 in-state versus $11,998 out-of-state — a $2,000 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
University of Southern Mississippi enrolls 10,075 undergraduates — mid-sized, with the trade-offs University of Southern Mississippi's scale implies: more programs than a small college, more anonymity too.
49.1% graduate within six years. Roughly 51% don't — ask a University of Southern Mississippi tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at University of Southern Mississippi
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | $89,904 |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians | $82,848 |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | $81,740 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $72,411 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | $70,328 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | $66,142 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $65,861 |
| Chemistry | $63,856 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $55,959 |
| Data Processing | $55,514 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $54,909 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $53,436 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $52,089 |
| Security Science and Technology | $51,956 |
| Marketing | $51,714 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $51,402 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | $51,381 |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | $50,957 |
| Legal Support Services | $48,196 |
| Public Health | $47,419 |
| Mathematics | $47,150 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,109 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $45,985 |
| Biology, General | $45,471 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $45,161 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $45,056 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $44,990 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $44,963 |
| History | $44,586 |
| Social Work | $42,390 |
| Journalism | $41,293 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $41,095 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $40,932 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $40,707 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $39,214 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, General | $38,599 |
| Psychology, General | $37,925 |
| Sociology | $36,907 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $36,771 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | $33,936 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $30,864 |
| Library Science and Administration | $30,340 |
Median earnings for these 42 University of Southern Mississippi programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $44,140 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 28 additional University of Southern Mississippi programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of Southern Mississippi?
The middle 50% of University of Southern Mississippi's submitters earned ACT composites of 19–27; no GPA cutoff is published.
What is University of Southern Mississippi's acceptance rate?
99.4% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 8,763 admitted from 8,818 applicants.
How much does University of Southern Mississippi cost?
In-state tuition is $9,998; out-of-state students pay $11,998. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of Southern Mississippi graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $44,140 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Mississippi
- Mississippi Valley State University — 92.4% admitted
- Mississippi University for Women — 90.3% admitted
- University of Mississippi — 96.6% admitted
- Jackson State University — 93.2% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.