Rust College vs. University of Southern Mississippi

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

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
Location Holly Springs, MS Hattiesburg, MS
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 755 13,526
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rustcollege.edu usm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
Tuition (In State) $9,900 $9,340
Tuition (Out of State) $9,900 $11,340
Room & Board $5,200 $11,338
Avg Net Price $8,151 $14,427
Avg Grant Aid $8,549 $9,296
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 91%

Admission

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,467 9,051
Admitted 1,943 8,946
Acceptance Rate 78.8% 98.8%
Enrolled % 9.5% 18.2%
Avg High School GPA 2.66 3.5
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/18 19/26
SAT Range 440/1339
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline

Academics

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
Student to Faculty Ratio 8:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (20%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
Graduation Rate 28% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $25,100 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 21% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,837 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $287 $258

Diversity

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
% Men 41% 35%
% Women 59% 65%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Medium
HBCU Yes No
% White 0% 61%
% Black 97% 30%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 2%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
% In-State 19% 70%
% Out-of-State 63% 27%

Campus

 Rust College University of Southern Mississippi
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

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than Rust College based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 755 students)

Rust College vs. University of Southern Mississippi Cost Comparison

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

  • Rust College is 6% more expensive to attend than University of Southern Mississippi for in-state tuition ($9,900.00 vs. $9,340.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.5% higher at University of Southern Mississippi than Rust College ($11,340.00 vs. $9,900.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Rust College than University of Southern Mississippi ($8,151 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Rust College are 118% lower than costs at University of Southern Mississippi ($5,200 vs. $11,338)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rust College than University of Southern Mississippi (94% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern Mississippi students is 8.7% larger than aid received Rust College ($9,296 vs. $8,549)

Rust College vs. University of Southern Mississippi Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rust College 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 Rust College .

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 269 points higher than at Rust College (780)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Rust College (16)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.84 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Rust College (2.66)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than Rust College (78.8%)

Rust College vs. University of Southern Mississippi Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rust College 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 Rust College.

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Rust College (47% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from University of Southern Mississippi earn on average $16,600 more per year than Rust College graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $25,100)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $2,837 lower median federal student loan debt than Rust College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,837)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Rust College graduates. ($258 vs. $287)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rust College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 21%)

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