University of Southern Mississippi
Academics

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How strong are the academics at University of Southern Mississippi?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

18:1
Student to faculty ratio
26
Average class size
29%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Southern Miss has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 18:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
215
10-19
383
20-29
302
30-39
116
40-49
74
50-99
85
100+
31

Honors Programs

University of Southern Mississippi has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Southern Miss' website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at University of Southern Mississippi:

71%
First-year retention rate
29%
4-year grad rate
41%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $41,982. This is less than the national average of $48,300.

$41,982
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are University of Southern Mississippi's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Elementary Education and Teaching
Business Administration and Management, General
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Psychology, General
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
88.4
113.12
137.84
162.56
187.28
212

The Full List

Major Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
  • Interior Architecture 9
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 97
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 25
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 192
  • Construction Management, General 58
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 54
  • Accounting 45
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 32
  • Finance, General 27
  • Research and Development Management 14
  • Marketing, Other 14
  • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other 7
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, Other 7
  • Fashion Merchandising 5
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 5
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 23
  • Journalism 21
  • Communication Management and Strategic Communications 19
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 1
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 46
  • Data Processing and Data Processing Technology/Technician 26
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 212
  • Music Teacher Education 26
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 11
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 4
Engineering
  • Polymer/Plastics Engineering 7
  • Computer Engineering, General 5
  • Ocean Engineering 2
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Industrial Technology/Technician 69
  • Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians 55
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 7
  • Computer Engineering Technology/Technician 2
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 48
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Family Systems 83
Foreign Languages
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 11
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 168
  • Audiology/Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist 58
  • Public Health, General 44
  • Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other 21
  • Dietetics/Dietitian 18
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 14
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 13
  • Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy 11
History
  • History, General 35
Homeland Security
  • Forensic Science and Technology 55
  • Criminal Justice/Safety Studies 48
Legal Professions And Studies
  • Legal Assistant/Paralegal 17
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 108
  • General Studies 36
Library Science
  • Library and Information Science 45
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 5
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 9
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 109
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 18
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 5
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 8
  • Oceanography, Chemical and Physical 7
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 6
  • Chemistry, Other 2
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 167
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 72
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 26
  • Sociology, General 21
  • Geography 6
  • Anthropology, General 6
  • Econometrics and Quantitative Economics 6
  • Economics, General 1
  • International Relations and Affairs 0
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Intermedia/Multimedia 35
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 26
  • Music, General 20
  • Visual and Performing Arts, General 18
  • Dance, General 9
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 5
  • Music Management 3

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