University of Southern Mississippi vs. VSU

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

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
Location Hattiesburg, MS Petersburg, VA
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 13,526 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $16,542
Room & Board $11,338 $11,544
Avg Net Price $14,427 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 92%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 8,230
Admitted 8,946 7,384
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 89.7%
Enrolled % 18.2% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 2.85
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 14/17
SAT Range 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025

Academics

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
Graduation Rate 47% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $305

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
% Men 35% 40%
% Women 65% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 61% 3%
% Black 30% 87%
% Hispanic 3% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
% In-State 70% 72%
% Out-of-State 27% 27%

Campus

University of Southern Mississippi VSU
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 VSU based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 4,648 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. VSU Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 68.6% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 45.9% higher at VSU than University of Southern Mississippi ($16,542.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Southern Mississippi than VSU ($14,427 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern Mississippi are 1.8% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($11,338 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia State University than University of Southern Mississippi (92% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia State University students is 23.7% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($11,498 vs. $9,296)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. VSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 192 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.65 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at VSU (2.85)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than VSU (89.7%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. VSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Virginia State University (47% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $5,000 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $36,700)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($25,000 vs. $29,500)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($258 vs. $305)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU 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/