University of Southern Mississippi acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Southern Mississippi, a public university in Mississippi, reports a 99% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of Southern Mississippi weighs, where it ranks among Mississippi schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1150, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of Southern Mississippi?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Southern Mississippi?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Southern Mississippi, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Southern Mississippi?
Your odds at University of Southern Mississippi are not the same as its 99% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Southern Mississippi in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Southern Mississippi hard to get into?
University of Southern Mississippi is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 99% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Southern Mississippi?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Southern Mississippi, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Southern Mississippi reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
What SAT score do you need for University of Southern Mississippi?
University of Southern Mississippi does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1150. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at University of Southern Mississippi.
Your chances at University of Southern Mississippi by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Southern Mississippi for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Southern Mississippi with a 3.1 GPA and a 1090 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1090 SAT, the middle of University of Southern Mississippi's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1150 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-southern-mississippi.
How to get into University of Southern Mississippi
Built from University of Southern Mississippi's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at University of Southern Mississippi, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Southern Mississippi carries about a 2.91 core GPA and a 1100 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
University of Southern Mississippi rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Southern Mississippi's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.usm.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Southern Mississippi, and how many get in?
University of Southern Mississippi admitted 8,763 of the 8,818 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 99.4%. 1,733 enrolled. Only about 20% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Southern Mississippi enrolls about 10,075 undergraduates in total, 62% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Southern Mississippi?
On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 29. University of Southern Mississippi requires test scores, so plan a test date that leaves time for one retake.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Southern Mississippi looks for
What University of Southern Mississippi weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Southern Mississippi are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Southern Mississippi's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Southern Mississippi
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Southern Mississippi cost after financial aid?
University of Southern Mississippi's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $26,566 per year. Tuition and fees are $9,998 for MS residents and $11,998 for out-of-state students, a $2,000 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $21,708 a year, and it ranges from $19,867 for families earning under $30,000 to $26,542 for families earning over $110,000. 46% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Southern Mississippi graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of Southern Mississippi student who received federal aid earns $44,140 a year, up from $37,710 at six years. 49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $22,500; 48% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Southern Mississippi compares in Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi ranks #13 most selective of 14 schools in Mississippi in our database.
Among the 14 Mississippi schools we track, University of Southern Mississippi ranks #13 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Mississippi College (29%) and Millsaps College (43%) sit nearby, which makes Mississippi a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Southern Mississippi
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Southern Mississippi often weigh Southeastern Louisiana University, University of South Dakota, and Utah Valley University, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Southern Mississippi's acceptance rate?
University of Southern Mississippi admitted 8,763 of 8,818 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 99.4% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 20% of admitted students enrolled.
Is University of Southern Mississippi test-optional?
No. University of Southern Mississippi reports that test scores are required for admission.
How much does University of Southern Mississippi cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Southern Mississippi, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $21,708 a year against a sticker price of about $26,566. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $19,867 on average.
What do University of Southern Mississippi graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Southern Mississippi are $44,140 a year among students who received federal aid, and 49% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Southern Mississippi value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Southern Mississippi weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Southern Mississippi favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Southern Mississippi generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Southern Mississippi?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Southern Mississippi specifically.
What are the admission requirements for University of Southern Mississippi?
University of Southern Mississippi reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.