Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) vs South Dakota University

Saint Cloud State University and the University of South Dakota, both public institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. Saint Cloud State, located in Minnesota, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students. In contrast, the University of South Dakota, situated in Vermillion, has a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process. While Saint Cloud State excels in programs like Business, Education, and Health Professions, the University of South Dakota shines in fields such as Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these universities' student demographics, graduation rates, and other key factors that can help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Saint Cloud State University logo

Saint Cloud State University

University of South Dakota logo

University of South Dakota

Overview

Location Saint Cloud, Minnesota Vermillion, South Dakota
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 62.0% 77.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 94.3% 87.0%
Application fees $40
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range N/A 1050 - 1290
ACT range 18 - 24 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 39.0% 80.0%
Total number of applicants 4,228 4,272
Total number of admissions given out 3,988 3,717
Admitted students who chose to enroll 837 1,233
Yield rate 21.0% 33.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,317

Out of state: $31,157
In state: $25,657

Out of state: $29,167
Average net price $13,615 $18,974
Tuition
In state: $7,839

Out of state: $16,679
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,036

Meal plan: $3,311
Room/dormitory: $4,366

Meal plan: $4,234
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

83.0%
Average amount $6,233
84.0%
Average amount $5,196
Students receiving federal student loan 48.0%
Average amount $5,504
60.0%
Average amount $5,102
Students taking out private loans 12.0%
Average amount $10,683
14.0%
Average amount $9,890

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 8,956
Men 45.7% Women 54.3%
6,987
Men 35.9% Women 64.1%
Graduate students 1,818
Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
2,477
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 39.4%
International students 10.2% 2.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 1,642 2,154
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A South Dakota Iowa Nebraska Minnesota Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.2% 60.1%
Dropout rate 16.2% 14.2%
Transferred out 34.9% 24.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $80,556
  • Year 3: $94,800
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,020
  • Year 2: $75,204
  • Year 3: $92,834
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,563
  • Year 2: $70,009
  • Year 3: $81,117
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $72,734
  • Year 2: $59,253
  • Year 3: $78,506
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,589
  • Year 2: $63,377
  • Year 3: $74,072
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,404
  • Year 2: $66,377
  • Year 3: $68,544
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $58,522
  • Year 3: $66,211
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,623
  • Year 2: $55,964
  • Year 3: $63,637
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,397
  • Year 2: $62,154
  • Year 3: $62,291
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,276
  • Year 2: $51,273
  • Year 3: $57,748
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,722
  • Year 2: $100,951
  • Year 3: $109,099
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,473
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $100,634
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,587
  • Year 2: $68,778
  • Year 3: $81,751
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $69,478
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,040
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $68,456
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,011
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $68,011
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,632
  • Year 3: $64,788
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,801
  • Year 2: $65,170
  • Year 3: $64,105
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,161
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $63,921
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,986
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $61,718

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