by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding Southern Miss retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
The percentage of first-time / full-time students who return for their second year is tracked as the freshmen retention rate.
With 72% students making it past their freshmen year, Southern Miss has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in Mississippi, the average is 70.78%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| Southern Miss | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| Mississippi | 70.78% |
There were approximately 2070 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 43% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 52% of the students had graduated and after eight years 53% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical Southern Miss graduation rate 52%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 1697 | 43% |
| Six Years | 2070 | 52% |
| Eight Years | 53 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 1857 | 47% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 1857 students or 47% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 1857 students who did not complete their degree?
9 are still enrolled.
1031 transferred to another institution.
Southern Miss lost contact with the remaining 801 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 0.5% |
| Transferred | 1031 | 55.5% |
| Dropped Out | 801 | 43.1% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 29% |
| Asian | 62% |
| Black / African-American | 36% |
| Hispanic | 55% |
| International | 66% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 45% |
| Unknown | 53% |
| White | 59% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
A meaningful share of students at Southern Miss are considered 'non-traditional students' who are not first-time, full-time, and under 25.
Looking at the individual cohorts below may tell you more than the overall graduation rate alone.
First-time / full-time students at University of Southern Mississippi represent 40.37% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern Miss graduation rate was 51%, and by the eight year mark, 52% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | Southern Miss | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 37% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 51% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 52% | 47.82% |
765 first-time / full-time students or 48% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
9 are still enrolled.
476 transferred to another institution.
Southern Miss lost contact with the remaining 280 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 9 | 1.18% |
| Transferred | 476 | 62.22% |
| Dropped Out | 280 | 36.60% |
First-time / part-time students at University of Southern Mississippi represent 0.18% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern Miss graduation rate was 0%, and by the eight year mark, 0% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | Southern Miss | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 0% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 0% | 23.72% |
7 first-time / part-time students or 100% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
1 transferred to another institution.
Southern Miss lost contact with the remaining 5 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 14.29% |
| Transferred | 1 | 14.29% |
| Dropped Out | 5 | 71.43% |
Returning / full-time students at University of Southern Mississippi represent 53.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern Miss graduation rate was 55%, and by the eight year mark, 56% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | Southern Miss | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 55% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 56% | 55.07% |
939 non first-time / part-time students or 44% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
14 are still enrolled.
483 transferred to another institution.
Southern Miss lost contact with the remaining 442 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 14 | 1.49% |
| Transferred | 483 | 51.44% |
| Dropped Out | 442 | 47.07% |
Returning / part-time students at University of Southern Mississippi represent 5.64% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the Southern Miss graduation rate was 32%, and by the eight year mark, 35% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | Southern Miss | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 14% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 32% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 35% | 37.80% |
146 non first-time / part-time students or 65% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
1 are still enrolled.
71 transferred to another institution.
Southern Miss lost contact with the remaining 74 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 1 | 0.68% |
| Transferred | 71 | 48.63% |
| Dropped Out | 74 | 50.68% |
