University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
99.1%
Acceptance Rate
$9,998
Avg Cost (In-State)
$11,998
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
49.8%
Graduation Rate
10,075
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for general admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$37,710
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$44,140
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
50%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $70,068 | $72,411 | 250 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $38,766 | $40,932 | 127 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $38,757 | $52,089 | 114 |
| Psychology, General. | $28,130 | $37,925 | 85 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. | $37,800 | $44,963 | 76 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services. | $31,020 | $33,936 | 67 |
| Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians. | $76,114 | $82,848 | 56 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness. | $39,049 | $54,909 | 55 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Mississippi HELP Grant
~$18k valueMississippi HELP covers full tuition at any MS public university for low-income, high-achieving residents.
Who it helps: Low-income Mississippi residents attending MS public universities.
How to use: File FAFSA + MS Student Aid app by March 31.
Source ↗Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Mississippi State Provost Scholarship
$10,500-$12,000/year (full tuition for OOS)
universityOut-of-state students with 30+ ACT/1360+ SAT + 3.5 GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: October 15 (priority)
Learn more ↗Mississippi State Distinguished Scholarship
$8,000-$9,500/year
universityOOS students with 26-29 ACT/1240-1350 SAT + 3.5 GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: October 15
Learn more ↗Ole Miss Centennial Scholarship
$8,000/year (OOS)
universityOOS students with 26-31 ACT/1240-1410 SAT + 3.50 GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Ole Miss Academic Excellence Scholarship
Full tuition (OOS)
universityOOS students with 32+ ACT/1420+ SAT + 3.50 GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Mississippi Resident Tuition Assistance Grant - Counselor
Up to full tuition forgivable for teaching service in MS
stateMS residents pursuing specific licensure programs (school counselor, librarian, etc.) with MS service obligation.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Ole Miss McLean Institute for Public Service Scholarship
$2,000-$10,000/year + service component
universityOle Miss students with commitment to MS Delta community service.
Deadline: Spring (sophomore year)
Learn more ↗Mississippi Eminent Scholars Grant (MESG)
Up to $2,500/year
stateMS residents with 29+ ACT or top 5% class rank + 3.5+ GPA at MS public/private colleges.
Deadline: September 15
Learn more ↗Ole Miss Marching Band Scholarship (Pride of South)
$500-$2,500/year
universityOle Miss marching band participants; auditioned awards.
Deadline: Through band admissions
Learn more ↗Mississippi State University Presidential Endowed Scholarship
Up to full tuition + book stipend
universityTop MSU incoming freshmen with academic merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 99.1% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
99.12%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
42.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
35.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
82.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
33.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
51.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
75.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
51.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
Southeastern Louisiana University
Hammond, LA
99.3% acceptance
Both admit around 99% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO
98.8% acceptance
Both admit around 99% of applicants, with 15k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
98.3% acceptance
Both admit around 98% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Reaches above this college
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
53.2% acceptance
Same s setting in the South, but more selective (53% vs 99%) — a stretch target if University of Southern Mississippi is already on your list.
University of West Georgia
Carrollton, GA
51.6% acceptance
Same s setting in the South, but more selective (52% vs 99%) — a stretch target if University of Southern Mississippi is already on your list.
Baylor University
Waco, TX
51.3% acceptance
Same s setting in the South, but more selective (51% vs 99%) — a stretch target if University of Southern Mississippi is already on your list.
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