University of Southern Mississippi (USM) vs Iowa State

Envision yourself as a student, embarking on a journey of higher education. As you navigate the vast landscape of universities, two prominent institutions emerge: the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and Iowa State University (ISU). While both offer exceptional academic opportunities, they possess distinct characteristics that may influence your decision. USM, nestled in the heart of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, boasts a welcoming community and a rich history. ISU, situated in the vibrant city of Ames, Iowa, is renowned for its strong research programs and agricultural expertise. Delve into our comprehensive comparison table to uncover the nuances that set these universities apart, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Discover which institution aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences, ensuring a fulfilling and transformative educational experience.

	Iowa State University	University of Southern Mississippi
Overview
Location	Ames, Iowa	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	88.0%	70.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	91.1%	95.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1083 - 1330	N/A
ACT range	21 - 28	19 - 26
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%	99.0%
Total number of applicants	20,357	9,314
Total number of admissions given out	18,550	8,922
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,387	1,587
Yield rate	29.0%	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: $22,152 Out of state: $37,964	In state: $25,100 Out of state: $27,100
Average net price	$15,422	$13,651
Tuition	In state: $8,324 Out of state: $24,136	In state: $9,094 Out of state: $11,094
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,590 Meal plan: $4,498	$10,950
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	87.0% Average amount $8,833	91.0% Average amount $9,072
Students receiving federal student loan	47.0% Average amount $5,202	54.0% Average amount $5,327
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $11,630	4.0% Average amount $12,298

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	25,808 Men 56.1% Women 43.9%	10,693 Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
Graduate students	4,900 Men 50.6% Women 49.4%	3,453 Men 33.7% Women 66.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	25.7%
International students	8.2%	2.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	City: Small
Dormitory capacity	9,400	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	Engineering Agriculture Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Education Business Psychology Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	76.0%	51.8%
Dropout rate	6.1%	46.0%
Transferred out	16.7%	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $85,739 Year 2: $94,408 Year 3: $101,292 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $80,956 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $95,081 Industrial Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $99,120 Year 2: $89,059 Year 3: $92,521 Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $77,573 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $85,108 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,299 Year 2: $73,321 Year 3: $83,452 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,598 Year 2: $73,839 Year 3: $83,292 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,184 Year 2: $71,734 Year 3: $81,196 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $83,223 Year 2: $70,680 Year 3: $79,916 Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,580 Year 2: $70,083 Year 3: $77,479 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,534 Year 2: $67,156 Year 3: $76,113	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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