Montana U vs University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

Nestled in the heart of Missoula, Montana, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, respectively, The University of Montana (UM) and the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) stand as two distinct academic havens, each offering a unique educational experience. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. This side-by-side comparison delves into these differences, providing prospective students with valuable insights to help them make informed decisions about their higher education journey. Explore the comprehensive table below to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
The University of Montana logo

The University of Montana

University of Southern Mississippi logo

University of Southern Mississippi

Overview

Location Missoula, Montana Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Campus setting City: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 70.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.1% 95.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1070 - 1280 N/A
ACT range 18 - 26 19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 9.0%
Students submitting ACT score 41.0% 99.0%
Total number of applicants 7,233 9,314
Total number of admissions given out 5,941 8,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,542 1,587
Yield rate 26.0% 17.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,736

Out of state: $44,720
In state: $25,100

Out of state: $27,100
Average net price $15,228 $13,651
Tuition
In state: $5,352

Out of state: $26,112
In state: $9,094

Out of state: $11,094
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,730

Meal plan: $6,324
$10,950
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $6,340
91.0%
Average amount $9,072
Students receiving federal student loan 44.0%
Average amount $5,401
54.0%
Average amount $5,327
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $13,104
4.0%
Average amount $12,298

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,223
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
10,693
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
Graduate students 2,883
Men 37.0% Women 63.0%
3,453
Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 25.7%
International students 1.9% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 2,886 3,592
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Mississippi Louisiana Alabama Florida Tennessee

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Psychology
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.7% 51.8%
Dropout rate 49.1% 46.0%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,396
  • Year 2: $113,016
  • Year 3: $118,046
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,692
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $71,476
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,746
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $65,366
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $65,302
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,886
  • Year 2: $62,707
  • Year 3: $64,764
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,287
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $61,703
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,687
  • Year 2: $52,433
  • Year 3: $59,094
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,412
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $52,044
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,236
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $50,914
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,604
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $48,041
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $157,573
  • Year 2: $156,846
  • Year 3: $164,002
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $95,073
  • Year 3: $99,130
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $71,295
Public Health (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $67,024
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,957
  • Year 2: $56,254
  • Year 3: $57,464
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,555
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $56,239
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,332
  • Year 2: $53,358
  • Year 3: $52,453
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,129
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $50,674
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,726
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $49,610
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,917
  • Year 2: $45,696
  • Year 3: $48,921

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The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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