National university
#4 Best colleges in MississippiWilliam Carey University
Hattiesburg, MS · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $14,258 a year
Median debt at graduation: $20,832 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for NAIA athletes in America#26 of 221
- Best colleges for criminal justice in America#246 of 1,046
In Mississippi
- Best colleges in Mississippi#4 of 16
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Mississippi#4 of 16
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in Mississippi#4 of 15
- Best colleges for business in Mississippi#4 of 15
- Best colleges for education in Mississippi#4 of 15
- Best colleges for mathematics in Mississippi#4 of 15
Show 6 more
- Best colleges for chemistry in Mississippi#4 of 14
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in Mississippi#4 of 14
- Best colleges for English in Mississippi#4 of 14
- Best colleges for history in Mississippi#4 of 14
- Best colleges for music in Mississippi#4 of 14
- Best colleges for psychology in Mississippi#4 of 13
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.60%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.78%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,122 · ACT 22
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.14 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$12,293
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $29,651 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 3,113 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 31% · Women 69% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 36% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 23% |
| Total students | 5,448 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $14,258 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $29,651 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $20,832 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 60% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 42% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 42% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 54% |
| First-year retention | 78% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $43,087 |
| Admission rate | 60% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $40 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $888 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 27% |
| Average SAT | 1122 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 540–690 |
| SAT math | 500–600 |
| ACT composite | 19–25 |
| Test policy | Required |
Value: Good · Top 45% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Nursing | |
| Secondary education | |
| Business administration | |
| Criminal justice | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Biology | |
| Teacher education | |
| Psychology |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Bible/Biblical Studies, Chemistry, Communication studies, Education (general), English, Fine arts, Gerontology, Health administration, History, Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies, International business, Liberal arts, Mathematics, Music, Other business, management, marketing, and related support services, Pastoral counseling, Rehabilitation and therapy, Religious Music and Worship, Religious studies, Romance languages, Social sciences, Theatre.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Education | |
| Health professions | |
| Biology | |
| Business | |
| Psychology |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | City |
| Part-time undergraduates | 14% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 23% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $8,094 |
| Sports | NAIA · Southern States Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 14 to 1 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 57%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $7,353IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 28% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Gulfport Biloxi International Airport (GPT)About 64 miles away · about 1 hour 30 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)About 108 miles away |
| Town population | 48,619Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | New OrleansAbout 95 miles away · about 2 hours by car |
| Typical weather | 49°F in January · 82°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Hattiesburg Chain Municipal Airport, MS, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.09 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is William Carey University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B). It ranks in the top 36% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does William Carey University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $14,258 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into William Carey University?
- William Carey University admitted 60% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do William Carey University’s graduates do?
- 60% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $43,087; the median federal debt at graduation is $20,832.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 176479
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral/professional university
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Religious affiliation (IPEDS): Baptist
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