Campus & Student Life at University of Southern Mississippi

Home to about 11,451 undergraduates in 2020, Southern Miss is a large, public university located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, Southern Miss offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by Southern Miss can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our Southern Miss Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

Southern Miss Has a Disability Services Site

For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit Southern Miss Disability Services.

Southern Miss for the Military

While not a "service academy", Southern Miss does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit Southern Miss Veteran Services . For more information, check out our Southern Miss for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at University of Southern Mississippi

Southern Miss offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at University of Southern Mississippi

Southern Miss has a comparatively large, student body. There were 11,451 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 9,644 (84.2%). Part-time attendance was 1,807 (15.8%).

University of Southern Mississippi is Ranked #1,082 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, Southern Miss is more diverse than average in terms of overall diversity. We rank Southern Miss #1082 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at Southern Miss by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the Southern Miss Diversity Guide.

University of Southern Mississippi Competes in the NCAA

Southern Miss has a total of 408 student athletes, 246 men and 162 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to University of Southern Mississippi Athletics