The University of Southern Mississippi is a public institution that was started in 1910. It has an undergraduate enrollment of 11,594, its environment is suburban, and the campus size is 1,090 acres. It uses a semester-based academic year. Its in-state tuition/fees are $9,160; out-of-state tuition/fees are $11,160.

The University of Southern Mississippi has two campuses: the main location in Hattiesburg and a complex in Long Beach known as Southern Miss Gulf Coast. In Hattiesburg, there are more than 280 student organizations to check out, as well as annual events such as Crawfish Fest. About 20 percent of learners join fraternities and sororities, and participating upperclassmen can live in Greek housing: Fraternity Row for men and a gated community called The Village for women.

First-year learners live in the Freshman Quad, a housing area next to the football stadium. Football games are a popular outlet on campus, kicking off with Friday Night at the Fountain, a pep rally the night before each home game, and the Eagle Walk parade a few hours before each match. Southern Miss Golden Eagles sports teams participate in the NCAA Division I Conference USA. Graduate learners may enroll in programs through the Southern Miss College of Business, the College of Education and Psychology, the School of Criminal Justice, and more. Notable Southern Miss alumni include NFL quarterback Brett Favre and musician Jimmy Buffett.