NSU vs. University of Southern Mississippi

Should I go to Northwestern State University of Louisiana or University of Southern Mississippi? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NSU or University of Southern Mississippi 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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Northwestern State University of Louisiana vs. University of Southern Mississippi comparison
Northwestern State University of Louisiana University of Southern Mississippi College 3 College 4
Northwestern State University of Louisiana University of Southern Mississippi
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Overview

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
Location Natchitoches, LA Hattiesburg, MS
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 9,389 13,526
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #975 #874
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nsula.edu usm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
Tuition (In State) $5,180 $9,340
Tuition (Out of State) $15,968 $11,340
Room & Board $10,269 $11,338
Avg Net Price $14,238 $14,427
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $9,296
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 91%

Admission

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,903 9,051
Admitted 2,843 8,946
Acceptance Rate 97.9% 98.8%
Enrolled % 35.9% 18.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.5
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/23 19/26
SAT Range 955/1135
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (39%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
Graduation Rate 37% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 46% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,531 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $258

Diversity

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
% Men 29% 35%
% Women 71% 65%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 54% 61%
% Black 31% 30%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 NSU University of Southern Mississippi
% In-State 98% 70%
% Out-of-State 2% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 9,389 students)

NSU vs. University of Southern Mississippi Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 80.3% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $5,180.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40.8% higher at NSU than University of Southern Mississippi ($15,968.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern State University of Louisiana than University of Southern Mississippi ($14,238 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northwestern State University of Louisiana are 10.4% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($10,269 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern Mississippi than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (91% vs. 89%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern State University of Louisiana students is 2.2% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($9,499 vs. $9,296)

NSU vs. University of Southern Mississippi Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 41 points higher than at NSU (1008)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at NSU (3.3)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than NSU (97.9%)

NSU vs. University of Southern Mississippi Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NSU or University of Southern Mississippi? 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 University of Southern Mississippi and NSU.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Northwestern State University of Louisiana (47% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $3,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $38,100)
  • Northwestern State University of Louisiana students graduate with a $3,469 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($21,531 vs. $25,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 46%)

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