University Of Southern Mississippi

University of Southern Mississippi's published cost of attendance is $26,566. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels.

Low-income families pay approximately $19,867; middle-income families pay about $22,756; higher-income families pay approximately $26,542. Azimuth ranks University of Southern Mississippi #668 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. As a public regional university, University of Southern Mississippi structures aid through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs.

The university participates in standard need-based aid processes using the FAFSA. Families should review the institution's [financial aid page ↗](#) for current aid policies and application deadlines, as aid packages and eligibility can shift year to year.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $14,301; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $48,593, median federal debt of $22,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $254 under standard ten-year repayment.

For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of the University of Southern Mississippi earn a median of $48,593 four years after enrollment, placing the institution in the 9.5th percentile for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $1,278 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the University of Southern Mississippi in the 52.5th percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures represent meaningful lifetime returns relative to Mississippi's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $29,193 — the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

The earnings pattern reflects the University of Southern Mississippi's concentration in Business programs, which represent 17% of graduates. Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods leads by enrollment with 205 graduates earning a median of $40,932 four years after graduation, while Business Administration, Management and Operations and Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities also contribute substantially to the institution's earnings profile. Azimuth ranks Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods [#217 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) in its field, with graduates earning 0.9× the national benchmark for the field.

University of Southern Mississippi's program mix is anchored in business and applied professional fields — a signature consistent with its identity as a regional public research university serving southern Mississippi. Business accounts for 17% of graduates, making Business the dominant concentration, followed by Education at 10% and Arts at 5%.

Across 58 programs serving roughly 2,615 students annually, the university's strongest outcomes cluster in fields with direct workforce pathways. The program combining the broadest enrollment scale with strong earnings is Nursing, which serves as the economic anchor of the degree portfolio.

Among the most popular programs, Teacher Education program graduates 205 students with median earnings of $40,932 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #206 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and General Studies round out the high-enrollment tier, each channeling substantial cohorts into stable career pathways.

The highest-earning programs at University of Southern Mississippi reflect the institution's applied-professional strengths. Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians leads on earnings, with graduates posting median earnings of $82,848 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #2 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Nursing follows closely, with graduates earning $72,411 and Azimuth ranking it #282 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These programs, alongside Accounting with median earnings of $65,861, represent the clearest direct-to-workforce pathways where four-year earnings reflect labor-market outcomes rather than graduate-school continuation.

The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these fields align with national hiring trends.