PSC vs. University of Southern Mississippi

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

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
Location Winter Haven, FL Hattiesburg, MS
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 8,180 13,526
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website polk.edu usm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
Tuition (In State) $2,483 $9,340
Tuition (Out of State) $9,933 $11,340
Room & Board $8,339 $11,338
Avg Net Price $9,588 $14,427
Avg Grant Aid $3,168 $9,296
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 91%

Admission

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 9,051
Admitted - 8,946
Acceptance Rate Open 98.8%
Enrolled % Open 18.2%
Avg High School GPA - 3.5
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (52%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
Graduation Rate - 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,000 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $9,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $98 $258

Diversity

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
% Men 34% 35%
% Women 66% 65%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 53% 61%
% Black 17% 30%
% Hispanic 20% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

PSC University of Southern Mississippi
% In-State 99% 70%
% Out-of-State 0% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than PSC based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 8,180 students)

PSC vs. University of Southern Mississippi Cost Comparison

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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is 276.2% more expensive to attend than PSC for in-state tuition ($9,340.00 vs. $2,483.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.2% higher at University of Southern Mississippi than Polk State College ($11,340.00 vs. $9,933.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Polk State College than University of Southern Mississippi ($9,588 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Polk State College are 36% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($8,339 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern Mississippi than Polk State College (91% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern Mississippi students is 193.4% larger than aid received Polk State College ($9,296 vs. $3,168)

Which college is harder to get into, PSC 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 PSC .

PSC vs. University of Southern Mississippi Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PSC 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 PSC.

  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $7,700 more per year than PSC graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $34,000)
  • Polk State College students graduate with a $15,500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($9,500 vs. $25,000)
  • PSC graduates are paying $160 less per month on federal student loans than University of Southern Mississippi graduates. ($98 vs. $258)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PSC students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 40%)

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