University of Southern Mississippi Rankings & Recognition

University of Southern Mississippi appears in 11 of CollegesRef's value rankings by major. Its best placement is #234 of 459 for kinesiology and exercise science, and #2 of 6 ranked colleges in Mississippi.

University of Southern Mississippi rankings by major

Source: CollegesRef value rankings from U.S. College Scorecard data, 2025

Each ranking compares bachelor's programs in one field. A college's value score is the weighted average of four percentiles among the ranked colleges: graduate earnings, average net price, debt compared with earnings, and graduation rate. Percentiles here are 100 for the best figure in the field. How the rankings work

Kinesiology and exercise science

Ranked #234 of 459 for value

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness · 177 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $54,909; Ranked-college median: $53,707
Median debt: $20,500; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 50.1 of 100 · #2 of 6 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 57th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 35th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 59th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 45th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $18,314) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 37% of earnings

Ranked just above: Tarleton State University (#233)
Ranked just below: Our Lady of the Lake University (#235)

Best colleges for kinesiology and exercise science

Finance

Ranked #329 of 330 for value

Finance and Financial Management Services · 35 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $55,959; Ranked-college median: $77,916
Median debt: $22,070; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 14.7 of 100 · #3 of 3 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 1th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 37th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 1th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 31th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $17,502) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 39% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (#328)
Ranked just below: Mount Mercy University (#330)

Best colleges for finance

Accounting

Ranked #334 of 408 for value

Accounting and Related Services · 64 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $65,861; Ranked-college median: $76,108
Median debt: $16,550; Ranked-college median: $20,500

Value score 32.6 of 100 · #3 of 4 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 18th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 34th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 57th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 35th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $17,285) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 25% of earnings

Ranked just above: Texas A & M International University (#333)
Ranked just below: University of Central Oklahoma (#335)

Best colleges for accounting

Marketing

Ranked #343 of 354 for value

Marketing · 66 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $51,714; Ranked-college median: $67,486
Median debt: $19,210; Ranked-college median: $19,523

Value score 19.4 of 100 · #4 of 4 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 5th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 38th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 15th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 32th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $17,699) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 37% of earnings

Ranked just above: University of North Alabama (#342)
Ranked just below: Loyola University New Orleans (#344)

Best colleges for marketing

Criminal justice

Ranked #356 of 379 for value

Criminal Justice and Corrections · 65 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $46,109; Ranked-college median: $55,481
Median debt: $21,625; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 22.1 of 100 · #3 of 5 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 7th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 26th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 19th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 59th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $16,222) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 47% of earnings

Ranked just above: Bethune-Cookman University (#355)
Ranked just below: Southern Arkansas University (#357)

Best colleges for criminal justice

Computer science

Ranked #416 of 466 for value

Computer and Information Sciences, General · 56 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $81,740; Ranked-college median: $97,375
Median debt: $19,625; Ranked-college median: $19,500

Value score 26.6 of 100 · #3 of 3 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 21th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 31th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 29th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 33th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $16,804) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 24% of earnings

Ranked just above: Oregon Institute of Technology (#415)
Ranked just below: Saint Edward's University (#417)

Best colleges for computer science

Education

Ranked #481 of 521 for value

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods · 172 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $40,932; Ranked-college median: $48,822
Median debt: $20,055; Ranked-college median: $21,500

Value score 24.1 of 100 · #7 of 9 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 6th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 31th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 36th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 44th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $17,201) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 49% of earnings

Ranked just above: Harding University (#480)
Ranked just below: Oklahoma City University (#482)

Best colleges for education

Nursing

Ranked #581 of 686 for value

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · 170 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $72,411; Ranked-college median: $85,171
Median debt: $15,304; Ranked-college median: $20,938

Value score 31.3 of 100 · #8 of 8 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 4th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 36th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 69th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 48th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $18,014) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 21% of earnings

Ranked just above: Newman University (#580)
Ranked just below: Carroll College-Montana (#582)

Best colleges for nursing

Biology

Ranked #619 of 680 for value

Biology, General · 102 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $45,471; Ranked-college median: $58,001
Median debt: $16,750; Ranked-college median: $20,717

Value score 26.1 of 100 · #6 of 8 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 7th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 37th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 45th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 35th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $18,049) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 37% of earnings

Ranked just above: Saint Leo University (#618)
Ranked just below: The College of Idaho (#620)

Best colleges for biology

Psychology

Ranked #792 of 814 for value

Psychology, General · 172 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $37,925; Ranked-college median: $51,007
Median debt: $20,283; Ranked-college median: $21,000

Value score 19.4 of 100 · #6 of 7 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 2th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 40th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 13th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 40th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $18,874) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 54% of earnings

Ranked just above: Gardner-Webb University (#791)
Ranked just below: Mid-America Christian University (#793)

Best colleges for psychology

Business

Ranked #880 of 986 for value

Business Administration, Management and Operations · 190 graduates

Earnings 4 yrs after: $52,089; Ranked-college median: $64,860
Median debt: $20,238; Ranked-college median: $21,375

Value score 27 of 100 · #10 of 12 in Mississippi

Graduate earnings · 40% of score: 11th percentile
Average net price (lower is better) · 25% of score: 41th percentile
Debt compared with earnings (lower is better) · 20% of score: 26th percentile
Graduation rate · 15% of score: 49th percentile

Average net price $21,172 (median $19,132) · graduation rate 54.2% · debt is 39% of earnings

Ranked just above: Chaminade University of Honolulu (#879)
Ranked just below: Palm Beach Atlantic University (#881)

Best colleges for business

Quick facts

Admit rate: 99.1%
Avg. net price: $21,172
Graduation: 54.2%
Students: 10,075

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Official classifications we track, alongside the rankings by major above.

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Carnegie Classification

R1 research university

A Doctoral University (which undergraduates attend) with very high research activity

Athletics

NCAA Division I

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