University of Southern Mississippi vs. TSU

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

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
Location Hattiesburg, MS Houston, TX
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 13,526 8,632
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #1017
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu tsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $7,437
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $19,677
Room & Board $11,338 $9,664
Avg Net Price $14,427 $11,826
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $12,085
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 99%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 8,582
Admitted 8,946 8,307
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 96.8%
Enrolled % 18.2% 28.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.0
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 15/19
SAT Range 820/1000
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
Graduation Rate 47% 12%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $36,200
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 22%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $29,358
Median Loan Payment $258 $303

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
% Men 35% 35%
% Women 65% 65%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 2%
% Black 30% 80%
% Hispanic 3% 6%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
% In-State 70% 77%
% Out-of-State 27% 22%

Campus

University of Southern Mississippi TSU
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 TSU based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 8,632 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. TSU Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 25.6% more expensive to attend than TSU for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $7,437.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.5% higher at TSU than University of Southern Mississippi ($19,677.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Texas Southern University than University of Southern Mississippi ($11,826 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Texas Southern University are 17.3% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($9,664 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Texas Southern University than University of Southern Mississippi (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Texas Southern University students is 30% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($12,085 vs. $9,296)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. TSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 232 points higher than at TSU (817)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at TSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at TSU (3.0)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than TSU (96.8%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. TSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Texas Southern University (47% vs. 12%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $5,500 more per year than TSU graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $36,200)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $4,358 lower median federal student loan debt than TSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $29,358)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than TSU graduates. ($258 vs. $303)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 22%)

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