Special Education and Teaching at University of Southern Mississippi

At $26,000 in estimated debt, this program sits above Mississippi's median for special education degrees ($22,302), though the projected first-year salary of $44,139 suggests decent earning power—if these national-based estimates hold true for Southern Miss graduates. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 means roughly seven months of gross pay to cover what you borrowed, which is manageable by education standards. However, neighboring Mississippi State's special education grads—where we do have actual data—start at $40,185, about $4,000 less than what peer programs nationally suggest this program might deliver.

The gap matters because special education salaries in Mississippi tend to lag the national median by several thousand dollars. If Southern Miss outcomes track closer to state norms than national ones, you're looking at tighter finances early on, especially with that higher debt load. Teaching jobs offer stability and loan forgiveness programs, but the first few years on a Mississippi teacher's salary with $26,000 to pay down will require careful budgeting.

Given the school's 99% admission rate and the fact that nearly half of students receive Pell grants, Southern Miss serves many first-generation and lower-income students who particularly need programs that lead to reliable employment. Special education teachers are in demand, which provides job security—but verify the actual placement rates and starting salaries for recent graduates before committing, since these estimates don't tell you how this specific program performs.