Wed,
06/04/2025 – 10:05am | By: Karelia Pitts
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) ranks No. 90 in U.S. News & World Report’s
2025 Best Education Schools. Southern Miss jumped nine spots since breaking into the
top 100 schools in 2024 and is now the second-highest ranked institution in Mississippi
for teacher education programs.
“The College of Education and Human Sciences continues to raise the bar on instruction
and co-curricular programs,” said University President Dr. Joseph S. Paul. “The programs
in this college are sterling examples of how we prepare students to be ready for the
classroom and ready for life. I am proud of this program’s leadership, and its faculty
and staff, who tirelessly invest in the future educators of our great state.”
U.S. News’ Best Education Schools rankings evaluate programs on a variety of factors,
including student selectivity, faculty resources, research activity and peer assessment.
The rankings assess both public and private institutions across the country to empower
prospective students to choose the best fit for their educational needs and career
goals. Programs from nearly 500 colleges and universities were reviewed in this category
for 2025.
“It’s an honor for Southern Miss to be recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one
of the nation’s top education schools,” said Dr. Trent Gould, dean of the USM College
of Education and Human Sciences. “Climbing in these rankings reflects the tireless
commitment of our faculty, staff and students to academic excellence and innovation
in teacher preparation. This recognition is not just a win for our university—it’s
a meaningful step forward for Mississippi as a whole, highlighting the state’s increasing
leadership in shaping the future of teacher education.”
U.S. News collects education school data annually to present the latest enrollment
numbers, job placement rates, faculty statistics and other essential quality indicators
to help prospective students make informed decisions. With evaluations from peer institutions
making up a portion of the scoring rubric, this climb in Southern Miss’ ranking is
in part due to leaders at other colleges and universities recognizing the heightened
impact USM is making in teacher education.
“The University of Southern Mississippi has a long history of preparing teachers with
quality instruction and hands-on training,” said University Provost and Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs Dr. Lance Nail. “This year’s rankings are evidence
of the outstanding work being done in the College of Education and Human Sciences
and the institution’s ongoing commitment to student success.”
The USM School of Education offers undergraduate programs in elementary education
and secondary education as well as graduate programs in educational administration,
higher education, elementary curriculum and instruction, special education, alternate
route licensure, dyslexia therapy and educational research.
Prospective students can see how Southern Miss compares to other institutions and
how the rankings are calculated by clicking here.