University of Southern Mississippi vs. South Carolina State University

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

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
Location Hattiesburg, MS Orangeburg, SC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,110 3,041
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #870 #1011
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $9,508 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $11,508 $20,218
Room & Board $11,664 $9,000
Avg Net Price $14,050 $17,928
Avg Grant Aid $11,000 $12,130
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 94%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 8,818 9,830
Admitted 8,763 8,034
Acceptance Rate 99.4% 81.7%
Enrolled % 19.8% 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 15/19
SAT Range 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2026

Academics

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 47% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $258 $343

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
% Men 8% 3%
% Women 16% 6%
Racial Diversity Medium Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 2%
% Black 30% 96%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi South Carolina State University
% In-State 72% 73%
% Out-of-State 21% 26%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (13,110 students vs. 3,041 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

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

  • South Carolina State University is 0.2% more expensive to attend than University of Southern Mississippi for in-state tuition ($9,528.00 vs. $9,508.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.7% higher at South Carolina State University than University of Southern Mississippi ($20,218.00 vs. $11,508.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Southern Mississippi than South Carolina State University ($14,050 vs. $17,928)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 29.6% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($9,000 vs. $11,664)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Carolina State University than University of Southern Mississippi (94% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 10.3% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($12,130 vs. $11,000)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. South Carolina State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 289 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at South Carolina State University (3.17)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (99.4%) than South Carolina State University (81.7%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Southern Mississippi or South Carolina 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 South Carolina State University and University of Southern Mississippi.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than South Carolina State University (47% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $10,700 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $31,000)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $8,205 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($25,000 vs. $33,205)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $85 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($258 vs. $343)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 27%)

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