South Dakota State University
Public four-year university in Brookings, SD that costs an average of $19,362 a year after financial aid, admits 98% of applicants and graduates 62% of full-time students.
Net price / year
$19,362
Acceptance rate
98%
Graduation rate
62%
Earnings after 10 yrs
$58,802
PublicTown (remote)9,198 undergraduates
Cost of South Dakota State University
| Total cost of attendance (per year) | $24,781 |
|---|---|
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $9,554 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $13,166 |
| Housing and food (on campus) | $10,648 |
| Books and supplies | $810 |
| Average net price after aid | $19,362 |
Net price by family income
| Family income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0–30,000 | $15,233 |
| $30,001–48,000 | $14,202 |
| $48,001–75,000 | $16,046 |
| $75,001–110,000 | $19,627 |
| $110,001+ | $21,821 |
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships (in-state students). Get your own estimate with South Dakota State University's net price calculator ↗.
Admissions
| Acceptance rate | 98% |
|---|---|
| Average SAT | 1,120 |
| SAT reading (25th–75th percentile) | 530–610 |
| SAT math (25th–75th percentile) | 530–630 |
| ACT composite (25th–75th percentile) | 19–25 |
| Test scores | Considered but not required |
Graduation, earnings and debt
| Graduation rate | 62% |
|---|---|
| First-year retention | 84% |
| Median earnings 6 years after enrolling | $54,220 |
| Median earnings 10 years after enrolling | $58,802 |
| Rank in South Dakota (earnings) | 4th of 11 similar colleges |
| Median debt of graduates | $21,008 |
| Typical monthly loan payment | $239 (10-year plan) |
| Students with Pell grants | 19% |
| Students with federal loans | 44% |
Majors and programs at South Dakota State University
Earnings one year after graduation and median debt, by program. Click a program for details and comparisons.
Bachelor's degree programs (74)
Certificate programs (22)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Transportation | 5 | — | — |
| American Indian/Native American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | 4 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 7 | — | — |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 1 | — | — |
| Biology | — | — | — |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 3 | — | — |
| Construction Management | 3 | — | — |
| Design and Applied Arts | 2 | — | — |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Education | — | — | — |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | 5 | — | — |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | 15 | — | — |
| Fine and Studio Arts | 40 | — | $27,000 |
| Geography and Cartography | 5 | — | — |
| Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | — | — | — |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies | 23 | — | — |
| Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies | 4 | — | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | — | — | — |
| Political Science and Government | — | — | — |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | — | — | — |
| Visual and Performing Arts | — | — | — |
Associate's degree programs (11)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | 65 | $57,803 | $12,000 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 121 | $38,244 | $13,250 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 22 | — | — |
| Biology | — | — | — |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 10 | — | — |
| Data Science | — | — | — |
| Engineering Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 9 | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Sociology | 1 | — | — |
| Statistics | 1 | — | — |
Master's degree programs (46)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 47 | $102,049 | $46,250 |
| Statistics | 27 | $85,893 | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 32 | $53,368 | — |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | 75 | $48,881 | $37,707 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 21 | $45,076 | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 5 | — | — |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 11 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 31 | — | — |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | 33 | — | — |
| Biology | 38 | — | — |
| Chemistry | 19 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 14 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | — | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | 2 | — | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 17 | — | — |
| Data Science | 20 | — | — |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | 4 | — | — |
| Economics | 18 | — | — |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 20 | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 14 | — | — |
| Engineering | 14 | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 18 | — | — |
| English Language and Literature | 9 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management | 2 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 6 | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | 3 | — | — |
| Geography and Environmental Studies | 11 | — | — |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services | 1 | — | — |
| Journalism | 1 | — | — |
| Mathematics | 14 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 21 | — | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 6 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 7 | — | — |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | 2 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 10 | — | — |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management | 14 | — | — |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 2 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 24 | — | — |
| Public Health | 21 | — | — |
| Science Technologies/Technicians | 1 | — | — |
| Sociology | 4 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 13 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 20 | — | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 7 | — | — |
Doctoral degree programs (21)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 2 | $110,266 | $70,167 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 3 | $102,072 | — |
| Agricultural Engineering | 6 | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 9 | — | — |
| Applied Mathematics | 1 | — | — |
| Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology | 7 | — | — |
| Biology | 1 | — | — |
| Botany/Plant Biology | — | — | — |
| Chemistry | 10 | — | — |
| Civil Engineering | 2 | — | — |
| Computer and Information Sciences | — | — | — |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 5 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | 3 | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | 2 | — | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 4 | — | — |
| Microbiological Sciences and Immunology | 2 | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | 3 | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | 15 | — | — |
| Sociology | 3 | — | — |
| Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences | 3 | — | — |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | 3 | — | — |
Professional degree programs (2)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 124 | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 27 | — | — |
Graduate certificate programs (25)
| Program | Graduates (2 yrs) | Earnings after 1 yr | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Production Operations | — | — | — |
| Animal Sciences | 1 | — | — |
| Biotechnology | 2 | — | — |
| Community Organization and Advocacy | 1 | — | — |
| Data Science | 7 | — | — |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | — | — | — |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 12 | — | — |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | 1 | — | — |
| Food Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | — | — | — |
| Geography and Cartography | — | — | — |
| Health Professions Education, Ethics, and Humanities | — | — | — |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | — | — | — |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | 1 | — | — |
| Mathematics | — | — | — |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | — | — | — |
| Physics | — | — | — |
| Plant Sciences | — | — | — |
| Public Health | — | — | — |
| Real Estate | — | — | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 10 | — | — |
| Security Science and Technology | — | — | — |
| Statistics | 6 | — | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 10 | — | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | — | — | — |
Similar colleges in South Dakota
| College | City | Net price / yr | Acceptance | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Dakota | Vermillion | $20,028 | 99% | $58,316 |
| Dakota State University | Madison | $20,554 | 88% | $53,378 |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | Rapid City | $20,827 | 80% | $78,487 |
| Augustana University | Sioux Falls | $23,283 | 68% | $61,271 |
| Black Hills State University | Spearfish | $19,252 | 96% | $49,283 |
| Northern State University | Aberdeen | $15,279 | 93% | $51,006 |
| University of Sioux Falls | Sioux Falls | $21,417 | 83% | $59,404 |
| National American University-Rapid City | Rapid City | $31,654 | — | $38,663 |
About South Dakota State University
| Type | Public four-year university |
|---|---|
| Location | Brookings, SD |
| Setting | Town (remote) |
| Undergraduates | 9,198 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 17 to 1 |
| Accreditor | Higher Learning Commission |
| Website | sdstate.edu ↗ |
Frequently asked questions
What is South Dakota State University's acceptance rate?
South Dakota State University admits 98% of applicants. Admitted students average 1,120 on the SAT.
How much does South Dakota State University cost per year?
The full cost of attendance is $24,781 a year (tuition and fees: $9,554 in-state, $13,166 out-of-state). After grants and scholarships the average student pays $19,362 a year, and students from families earning under $30,000 pay about $15,233.
How much do South Dakota State University graduates earn?
Former students earn a median of $58,802 a year, 10 years after first enrolling — 4th of 11 similar colleges in South Dakota. The best-paid bachelor's program is computer and information sciences ($79,660 a year after graduation).
What is South Dakota State University's graduation rate?
62% of full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% of first-year students return for a second year.