University of Southern Mississippi Acceptance Rate
Hattiesburg, Mississippi · Public · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 8,818
- Admitted
- 8,763
- Yield
- 19.8%
- Test policy
- Test scores required
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, University of Southern Mississippi's acceptance rate has risen from 66.7% in 2014–15 to 99.4% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 5,850 to 8,818 (+51%) over that period.
Its 99.4% rate makes University of Southern Mississippi more selective than about 1% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 14 tracked Mississippi schools, it is more selective than about 14%.
University of Southern Mississippi requires SAT/ACT scores for admission. Of admitted students, 19.8% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 5,850 | 3,904 | 66.7% | 1,607 |
| 2015–16 | 6,046 | 3,509 | 58% | 1,527 |
| 2016–17 | 5,180 | 3,115 | 60.1% | 1,558 |
| 2017–18 | 6,372 | 6,272 | 98.4% | 1,903 |
| 2018–19 | 8,550 | 8,369 | 97.9% | 2,080 |
| 2019–20 | 9,217 | 8,935 | 96.9% | 1,888 |
| 2020–21 | 9,683 | 9,328 | 96.3% | 1,675 |
| 2021–22 | 9,314 | 8,922 | 95.8% | 1,587 |
| 2022–23 | 9,051 | 8,946 | 98.8% | 1,624 |
| 2023–24 | 8,818 | 8,763 | 99.4% | 1,733 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 5,690 | 5,671 | 99.7% |
| Men | 3,128 | 3,092 | 98.8% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test scores required.
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 19–27 | 98% |
How University of Southern compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is University of Southern Mississippi's acceptance rate?
University of Southern Mississippi's acceptance rate is 99.4% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (8,763 admitted of 8,818 applicants).
Is University of Southern Mississippi test optional?
University of Southern Mississippi requires SAT or ACT scores for admission.
How many people apply to University of Southern Mississippi?
University of Southern Mississippi received 8,818 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 8,763.
Is University of Southern Mississippi getting harder to get into?
University of Southern Mississippi has become easier to get into: its acceptance rate went from 66.7% in 2014–15 to 99.4% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: https://www.usm.edu/.