University of Southern Mississippi vs. Bethel

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

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
Location Hattiesburg, MS McKenzie, TN
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,526 4,686
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #1002
Religious Affiliation - Cumberland Presbyterian - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu bethelu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $16,222
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $16,222
Room & Board $11,338 $13,446
Avg Net Price $14,427 $13,858
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $13,396
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 96%

Admission

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 2,489
Admitted 8,946 2,210
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 88.8%
Enrolled % 18.2% 20.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.6
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 16/22
SAT Range 928/1130
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 Bethel
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (78%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Biology (3%)
  • Health Professions (3%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (2%)

Outcomes

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
Graduation Rate 47% 32%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 33%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $28,250
Median Loan Payment $258 $292

Diversity

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
% Men 35% 46%
% Women 65% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 61% 46%
% Black 30% 40%
% Hispanic 3% 1%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 5%
% Two or More Races 2% 1%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
% In-State 70% 80%
% Out-of-State 27% 19%

Campus

 University of Southern Mississippi Bethel
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 Bethel based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 4,686 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Bethel Cost Comparison

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

  • Bethel University is 73.7% more expensive to attend than University of Southern Mississippi for in-state tuition ($16,222.00 vs. $9,340.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.1% higher at Bethel than University of Southern Mississippi ($16,222.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Bethel University than University of Southern Mississippi ($13,858 vs. $14,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern Mississippi are 18.6% lower than costs at Bethel University ($11,338 vs. $13,446)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethel University than University of Southern Mississippi (96% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethel University students is 44.1% larger than aid received University of Southern Mississippi ($13,396 vs. $9,296)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Bethel Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 121 points higher than at Bethel (928)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Bethel (20)
  • Accepted freshman Bethel students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at University of Southern Mississippi (3.5)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than Bethel (88.8%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Bethel Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at University of Southern Mississippi is higher than Bethel University (47% vs. 32%)
  • Graduates from Bethel University earn on average $1,000 more per year than University of Southern Mississippi graduates after ten years. ($42,700 vs. $41,700)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Bethel graduates. ($25,000 vs. $28,250)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Bethel graduates. ($258 vs. $292)
  • More University of Southern Mississippi graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Bethel students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 33%)

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