Fort Valley State University vs. University of Southern Mississippi

Should I go to Fort Valley State University or University of Southern Mississippi? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Fort Valley State University or University of Southern Mississippi is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Fort Valley State University vs. University of Southern Mississippi comparison
Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi College 3 College 4
Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
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Overview

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Location Fort Valley, GA Hattiesburg, MS
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 2,763 13,110
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1014 #870
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fvsu.edu usm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $9,508
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $11,508
Room & Board $8,372 $11,664
Avg Net Price $11,457 $14,050
Avg Grant Aid $9,432 $11,000
% Receiving Grant Aid 95% 93%

Admission

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,080 8,818
Admitted 3,190 8,763
Acceptance Rate 62.8% 99.4%
Enrolled % 23.3% 19.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.87 3.5
Typical High School Grades B- B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/19 19/26
SAT Range 795/920
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2026

Academics

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Graduation Rate 33% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,000 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 19% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $36,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $377 $258

Diversity

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
% Men 2% 8%
% Women 6% 16%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 61%
% Black 94% 30%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 2%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
% In-State 94% 72%
% Out-of-State 6% 21%

Campus

Fort Valley State University University of Southern Mississippi
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than Fort Valley State University based on total student enrollment (13,110 students vs. 2,763 students)

Fort Valley State University vs. University of Southern Mississippi Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Fort Valley State University or University of Southern Mississippi?

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 134% more expensive to attend than Fort Valley State University for in-state tuition ($9,508.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.5% higher at Fort Valley State University than University of Southern Mississippi ($14,786.00 vs. $11,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fort Valley State University than University of Southern Mississippi ($11,457 vs. $14,050)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fort Valley State University are 39.3% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($8,372 vs. $11,664)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fort Valley State University than University of Southern Mississippi (95% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern Mississippi students is 16.6% larger than aid received Fort Valley State University ($11,000 vs. $9,432)

Fort Valley State University vs. University of Southern Mississippi Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Fort Valley State University or University of Southern Mississippi? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of Southern Mississippi or Fort Valley State University .

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 184 points higher than at Fort Valley State University (865)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Fort Valley State University (18)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.63 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Fort Valley State University (2.87)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than Fort Valley State University (62.8%)

Fort Valley State University vs. University of Southern Mississippi Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Fort Valley State University or University of Southern Mississippi? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between University of Southern Mississippi and Fort Valley State University.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Fort Valley State University (47% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $9,700 more per year than Fort Valley State University graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $32,000)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $11,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $36,500)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $119 less per month on federal student loans than Fort Valley State University graduates. ($258 vs. $377)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fort Valley State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 19%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/