University of Southern Mississippi vs. Lamar University

Should I go to University of Southern Mississippi or Lamar University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Southern Mississippi or Lamar University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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University of Southern Mississippi vs. Lamar University comparison
University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University College 3 College 4
University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
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Overview

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Location Hattiesburg, MS Beaumont, TX
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 13,526 16,803
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #992
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu lamar.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $6,228
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $16,020
Room & Board $11,338 $9,884
Avg Net Price $14,427 $11,757
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $10,397
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 95%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 6,214
Admitted 8,946 5,203
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 83.7%
Enrolled % 18.2% 28.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.4
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 14/19
SAT Range 830/1030
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • Engineering (7%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Graduation Rate 47% 31%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $45,500
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 42%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $227

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
% Men 35% 34%
% Women 65% 66%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 48%
% Black 30% 27%
% Hispanic 3% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
% In-State 70% 97%
% Out-of-State 27% 2%

Campus

University of Southern Mississippi Lamar University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Lamar University is larger than than University of Southern Mississippi based on total student enrollment (16,803 students vs. 13,526 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Lamar University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Southern Mississippi or Lamar University?

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 50% more expensive to attend than Lamar University for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $6,228.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.3% higher at Lamar University than University of Southern Mississippi ($16,020.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Lamar University than University of Southern Mississippi ($11,757 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Lamar University are 14.7% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($9,884 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lamar University than University of Southern Mississippi (95% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Lamar University students is 11.8% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($10,397 vs. $9,296)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Lamar University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of Southern Mississippi or Lamar University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Lamar University or University of Southern Mississippi .

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 75 points higher than at Lamar University (974)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Lamar University (21)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Lamar University (3.4)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than Lamar University (83.7%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Lamar University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Southern Mississippi or Lamar University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Lamar University and University of Southern Mississippi.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Lamar University (47% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from Lamar University earn on average $3,800 more per year than University of Southern Mississippi graduates after ten years. ($45,500 vs. $41,700)
  • Lamar University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($22,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Lamar University graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($227 vs. $258)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lamar University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 42%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/