University of Southern Mississippi (USM) vs Jackson State

Envision yourself as a student, standing at the crossroads of two esteemed institutions: the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Jackson State University (JSU). While both universities offer a wealth of opportunities, they each possess unique characteristics that may resonate with different individuals. USM, nestled in the vibrant city of Hattiesburg, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. JSU, located in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, takes pride in its strong alumni network and commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment. As you embark on this side-by-side comparison, delve into the intricacies of each university's acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates. Discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, ensuring that your higher education journey is both fulfilling and transformative.

	Jackson State University	University of Southern Mississippi
Overview
Location	Jackson, Mississippi	Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	77.0%	70.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	62.1%	95.8%
Application fees	$25	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60
SAT range	940 - 980	N/A
ACT range	16 - 20	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	27.0%
Students submitting ACT score	55.0%	99.0%
Total number of applicants	7,889	9,314
Total number of admissions given out	4,900	8,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll	793	1,587
Yield rate	16.2%	17.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,352 Out of state: $23,352	In state: $25,100 Out of state: $27,100
Average net price	$15,477	$13,651
Tuition	$8,270	In state: $9,094 Out of state: $11,094
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $5,744 Meal plan: $4,322	$10,950
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	89.0% Average amount $7,702	91.0% Average amount $9,072
Students receiving federal student loan	84.0% Average amount $6,149	54.0% Average amount $5,327
Students taking out private loans	2.0% Average amount $13,190	4.0% Average amount $12,298

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	4,763 Men 35.1% Women 64.9%	10,693 Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
Graduate students	2,317 Men 24.4% Women 75.6%	3,453 Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	70.4%	25.7%
International students	2.6%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	2,464	3,592
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Mississippi Illinois Texas Louisiana Georgia	Mississippi Louisiana Alabama Florida Tennessee

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Public Administration and Social Service Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions	Health Professions Education Business Psychology Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	39.0%	51.8%
Dropout rate	58.4%	46.0%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $81,069 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,963 Year 2: $55,338 Year 3: $67,141 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,863 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $66,332 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $55,403 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $61,303 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $57,064 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $53,212 Year 2: $56,234 Year 3: $55,989 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $42,514 Year 2: $46,087 Year 3: $50,751 Public Health (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $35,764 Year 2: $35,416 Year 3: $46,573 Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $42,106 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $33,576 Year 2: $46,087 Year 3: $41,525	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $157,573 Year 2: $156,846 Year 3: $164,002 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $95,073 Year 3: $99,130 Education, General (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $67,660 Year 3: $71,295 Public Health (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $61,516 Year 3: $67,024 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,957 Year 2: $56,254 Year 3: $57,464 Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,555 Year 2: $52,107 Year 3: $56,239 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,332 Year 2: $53,358 Year 3: $52,453 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,129 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: $50,674 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $51,726 Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: $49,610 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,917 Year 2: $45,696 Year 3: $48,921

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