Data Processingat University of Southern Mississippi
Graduates earn $37,734/yr in their first year — about 31.0% below the national Data Processing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $448K; scenarios range from $440K to $444K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Southern Mississippi
While "Data Processing" sounds like a high-tech major, at a regional public university like Southern Miss, the career path often looks different than at a coastal tech hub. Your lower-than-average earnings outcomes reflect Hattiesburg's local economy, where graduates are more likely to fill essential data management and IT support roles for regional healthcare systems, government agencies, or local businesses rather than landing lucrative jobs at big tech firms. The program provides a solid, practical foundation, but lacks the direct recruiting pipelines to national companies that can drive up salaries. Given the high AI risk for routine data tasks, your key to success is to aggressively pursue internships. A strong work portfolio demonstrating skills beyond basic processing—like data visualization or database administration—will be your most powerful tool for securing a higher-paying role, whether you stay in the Southeast or move elsewhere.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Southern Mississippi's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Data Processing
How University of Southern Mississippi stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Southern Mississippi
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Southern Mississippi, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Data Processing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Data Processing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Data Processing at University of Southern Mississippi
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Data Processing at University of Southern Mississippi?
A score of 35/100 indicates below-average financial outcomes for Data Processing. Earnings, ROI, or AI risk factors are pulling the score down.
Will AI replace Data Processing careers?
With 57% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $440,380 in decade earnings vs $444,346 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Can you still earn well with Data Processing from University of Southern Mississippi?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.