University of Southern Mississippi — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of Southern Mississippi charges a net price of $21,708/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $86,832. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,140, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, University of Southern Mississippi does not clear its cost — it ranks #8 of 32 Mississippi colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,708/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $86,832 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,140 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,220/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $22,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$171,232 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of Southern Mississippi's own numbers. Net price $21,708 × 4 years = $86,832 total. Median earnings $44,140 fall $4,220 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $86,832 bill in about 8.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of Southern Mississippi students graduate with?
A median $22,500 in federal loans among completers, or 51% of the $44,140 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of Southern Mississippi students graduate?
49% finish their degree — 51% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $86,832 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $177,208 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of Southern Mississippi expensive compared with other Mississippi colleges?
Its $21,708 net price runs $12,694 above the $9,015 median across the 32 Mississippi colleges we profile, or $50,774 more across the full degree.