In the Hattiesburg area there are 13 elementary, 5 junior high and 5 public high schools. There are also 3 private/parochial schools to serve more than 12,000 students. Hattiesburg is also home to the University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey College and Pearl River Community College.

Useful information for students, parents and teachers about the various schools in the Hattiesburg Public School District.

A nationally accredited, comprehensive, public, doctoral/research-extensive university. USM has two campuses and five teaching and research sites across southern Mississippi as well as France, Mexico, England, and Spain. With an enrollment of 15,050, The University of Southern Mississippi is currently the second largest university in the state.

Hattiesburg is the home of the main campus of William Carey College, which was founded in 1906. On 120 acres, the college is located on the south side of the city. It is owned and operated by the Mississippi Baptist Convention and governed by a board of trustees.William Carey College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The college also holds state and national accreditations in the areas of education, music, music therapy, and nursing.

Pearl River Community College is the state's oldest publicly funded two-year college. The College has two campuses - the main campus in Poplarville and one in Hattiesburg.