University of Southern Mississippi vs. Fayetteville State University

Should I go to University of Southern Mississippi or Fayetteville State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Southern Mississippi or Fayetteville State University 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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University of Southern Mississippi vs. Fayetteville State University comparison
University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University College 3 College 4
University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
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Overview

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
Location Hattiesburg, MS Fayetteville, NC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,526 6,787
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu uncfsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $1,000
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $5,000
Room & Board $11,338 $9,440
Avg Net Price $14,427 $6,355
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $10,050
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 89%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 4,116
Admitted 8,946 3,344
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 81.2%
Enrolled % 18.2% 23.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.11
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 14/19
SAT Range 870/1060
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (18%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Psychology (14%)
  • Education (11%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
Graduation Rate 47% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $32,500
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,161
Median Loan Payment $258 $229

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
% Men 35% 30%
% Women 65% 70%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 19%
% Black 30% 64%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi Fayetteville State University
% In-State 70% 84%
% Out-of-State 27% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than Fayetteville State University based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 6,787 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Fayetteville State University Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 834% more expensive to attend than Fayetteville State University for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $1,000.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 126.8% higher at University of Southern Mississippi than Fayetteville State University ($11,340.00 vs. $5,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fayetteville State University than University of Southern Mississippi ($6,355 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Fayetteville State University are 20.1% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($9,440 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern Mississippi than Fayetteville State University (91% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fayetteville State University students is 8.1% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($10,050 vs. $9,296)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Fayetteville State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 179 points higher than at Fayetteville State University (870)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Fayetteville State University (19)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.39 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Fayetteville State University (3.11)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than Fayetteville State University (81.2%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Fayetteville State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Southern Mississippi or Fayetteville State University? 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 Fayetteville State University and University of Southern Mississippi.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Fayetteville State University (47% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $9,200 more per year than Fayetteville State University graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $32,500)
  • Fayetteville State University students graduate with a $2,839 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($22,161 vs. $25,000)
  • Fayetteville State University graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($229 vs. $258)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Fayetteville State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 28%)

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