University of Southern Mississippi vs. Penn State Berks

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

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
Location Hattiesburg, MS Reading, PA
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 13,526 2,077
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #874 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usm.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $9,340 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $11,340 $25,854
Room & Board $11,338 $14,334
Avg Net Price $14,427 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $9,296 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 66%

Admission

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,051 5,605
Admitted 8,946 5,453
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 97.3%
Enrolled % 18.2% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.39
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 23/28
SAT Range 1090/1290
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 Penn State Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 47% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $258 $277

Diversity

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
% Men 35% 59%
% Women 65% 41%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 61% 68%
% Black 30% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of Southern Mississippi Penn State Berks
% In-State 70% 64%
% Out-of-State 27% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Southern Mississippi is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (13,526 students vs. 2,077 students)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Southern Mississippi or Penn State Berks?

  • Penn State Berks is 64.8% more expensive to attend than University of Southern Mississippi for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $9,340.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 128% higher at Penn State Berks than University of Southern Mississippi ($25,854.00 vs. $11,340.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Southern Mississippi than Penn State Berks ($14,427 vs. $21,728)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Southern Mississippi are 26.4% lower than costs at Penn State Berks ($11,338 vs. $14,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Southern Mississippi than Penn State Berks (91% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Southern Mississippi students is 9% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($9,296 vs. $8,528)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Southern Mississippi (1049) is 71 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming University of Southern Mississippi students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman University of Southern Mississippi students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • University of Southern Mississippi has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than Penn State Berks (97.3%)

University of Southern Mississippi vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Southern Mississippi or Penn State Berks? 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 Penn State Berks and University of Southern Mississippi.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Berks is higher than University of Southern Mississippi (55% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Berks earn on average $13,600 more per year than University of Southern Mississippi graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $41,700)
  • University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with a $1,818 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Berks graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,818)
  • University of Southern Mississippi graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($258 vs. $277)
  • More Penn State Berks graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Southern Mississippi students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 54%)

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