Best General Studies Schools Near Hattiesburg, MS (2026)

Hattiesburg, Mississippi has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs, with tuition ranging from $15,480 to $29,651 per year for indexed programs. Hattiesburg has a population of about 48,507. Median household income is $44,140 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Hattiesburg, MS metro area, the top-earning general studies-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $97,860 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest General Studies Schools to Hattiesburg

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer general studies programs near Hattiesburg, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hattiesburg city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Hattiesburg. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

William Carey University

Hattiesburg, MS 1.5 miles from Hattiesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
49.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,087
Avg net price $14,258/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,480
Out‑of‑state$15,480
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Southern Mississippi

Hattiesburg, MS 1.6 miles from Hattiesburg
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
39.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,140
Avg net price $21,708/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 103

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Mississippi schools on the Mississippi general studies page.


General Studies Wages Near Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg is part of the Hattiesburg, MS metro area (BLS area code 25620). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Mississippi statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Managers $97,860 Hattiesburg, MS $111,712
Management Analysts $63,530 Hattiesburg, MS $72,523
Human Resources Specialists $55,000 Hattiesburg, MS $62,785
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $48,570 Hattiesburg, MS $55,445
Writers and Authors $54,180 MS statewide $61,849
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $49,590 Hattiesburg, MS $56,610
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers $55,670 Hattiesburg, MS $63,550
Social and Community Service Managers $58,050 Hattiesburg, MS $66,267

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Hattiesburg at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 48,507 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $44,140 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 87.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Hattiesburg-Area Cities With General Studies Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited general studies schools are near Hattiesburg, MS?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering general studies programs near Hattiesburg. The closest is William Carey University in Hattiesburg, MS (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Pearl River Community College (34.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying general studies roles near Hattiesburg?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying general studies-related roles near Hattiesburg are: General and Operations Managers ($97,860), Management Analysts ($63,530), Social and Community Service Managers ($58,050). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Mississippi statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Laurel instead of Hattiesburg?

Laurel, MS is 28.7 miles from Hattiesburg and has its own set of local general studies programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Hattiesburg an affordable place to study general studies?

Hattiesburg’s median household income of $44,140 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hattiesburg while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Mississippi public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About General Studies Programs

Other Programs Available in Hattiesburg

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Hattiesburg:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.