Top Ranked Programs
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.