University of Southern Mississippi (USM) vs University of Central Missouri (UCM)

Envision yourself as a student, embarking on a journey of higher education. As you navigate the vast landscape of universities, two prominent institutions emerge: the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and the University of Central Missouri (UCM). While both offer exceptional academic opportunities, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your decision. USM, nestled in the heart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. UCM, situated in Warrensburg, Missouri, stands out with its smaller class sizes, fostering a close-knit community. Explore the comparison table below to delve into further details, including popular majors, graduation rates, and additional factors that will help you determine which university aligns best with your aspirations and goals.
University of Central Missouri logo

University of Central Missouri

University of Southern Mississippi logo

University of Southern Mississippi

Overview

Location Warrensburg, Missouri Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Campus setting Town: Distant 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 71.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.8% 95.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A 19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score 99.0%
Total number of applicants 5,103 9,314
Total number of admissions given out 3,867 8,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,158 1,587
Yield rate 29.9% 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: $22,192

Out of state: $29,940
In state: $25,100

Out of state: $27,100
Average net price $13,852 $13,651
Tuition
In state: $7,747

Out of state: $15,495
In state: $9,094

Out of state: $11,094
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,846

Meal plan: $3,350
$10,950
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $7,322
91.0%
Average amount $9,072
Students receiving federal student loan 53.0%
Average amount $5,048
54.0%
Average amount $5,327
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $8,947
4.0%
Average amount $12,298

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,577
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
10,693
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
Graduate students 2,953
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
3,453
Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 11.6% 25.7%
International students 13.6% 2.8%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant City: Small
Dormitory capacity 3,993 3,592
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Missouri Kansas Illinois Arkansas Iowa Mississippi Louisiana Alabama Florida Tennessee

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 52.5% 51.8%
Dropout rate 17.5% 46.0%
Transferred out 28.6% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,344
  • Year 2: $98,137
  • Year 3: $102,568
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,020
  • Year 2: $72,762
  • Year 3: $75,770
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,468
  • Year 2: $65,573
  • Year 3: $66,888
Engineering Technology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,910
  • Year 2: $59,937
  • Year 3: $66,552
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,256
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $65,487
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,348
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $64,953
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,391
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $61,308
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,831
  • Year 2: $58,131
  • Year 3: $61,108
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,256
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $60,198
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,812
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $59,625
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

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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