In 2024, the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg distributed $5,670,216 in financial aid linked to athletics, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
A total of 210 male and 158 female student-athletes competed on one or more sports teams for the University of Southern Mississippi in 2024. Male athletes received 54.3% more athletically related financial aid than their female counterparts.
The university’s athletically related financial aid increased by 1.8% compared to the previous year.
College football is one of the biggest sports in the U.S., with some college teams eclipsing NFL teams in terms of attendance and profit.
College athletics has entered a new era of athlete compensation after a federal settlement allowed schools to directly share revenue with players for the first time. The agreement also requires the NCAA to pay $2.8 billion in back damages over 10 years to athletes who competed from 2016 to the present.
In 2022, after years of legal and legislative pressure, athletes also gained the right to profit from their names, images and likenesses through state laws and an NCAA policy change.
| Institution | Athletically Related Student Aid |
|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | $13,361,497 |
| University of Mississippi | $11,304,707 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | $5,670,216 |
| Mississippi College | $4,738,797 |
| William Carey University | $3,663,595 |
| Jackson State University | $3,495,182 |
| Alcorn State University | $3,014,167 |
| Delta State University | $1,798,326 |
| Blue Mountain College | $1,473,752 |
| Mississippi Valley State University | $1,242,383 |
Information in this story was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education. The source data can be found here.
