University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD · Public
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
University of South Dakota admitted 98.8% of applicants university-wide (5,892 of 5,965).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 98.8% | 5,892 | 5,965 |
| In-state | 99.3% | 2,011 | 2,025 |
| Out-of-state | 99.4% | 2,075 | 2,088 |
| International applicants | 97.5% | 1,806 | 1,852 |
| Men | 98.3% | 2,383 | 2,424 |
| Women | 99.1% | 3,509 | 3,541 |
Of 5,892 admitted students, 1,418 enrolled (24.1% yield).
University of South Dakota Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1145–1260
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 19–25
- GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
- 3.00–3.99
Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)
University of South Dakota Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $28,398/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $11,283 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $17,115 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $28,398/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $14,921 |
| $30k–48k | $15,942 |
| $48k–75k | $18,540 |
| $75k–110k | $21,202 |
| Over $110k | $22,193 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Academic Excellence Scholarship — $12,000 per year (Merit)
- Dean's Scholarship — $8,000 per year (Merit)
- University Scholars Program — $5,000 per year (Merit)
- Coyote Pride Scholarship — $4,000 per year (Merit)
- President's Scholarship — Full tuition, fees, room, and board (approx. $20,000/year) (Full Tuition)
- USD Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- International Student Scholarship — $2,000–$10,000 per year (International Aid)
- International Transfer Student Scholarship — $2,000–$6,000 per year (International Aid)
University of South Dakota Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections G–H · 2024
Application requirements
US applicants
- Official Transcripts
- ACT or SAT Scores (optional)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Official Transcripts
- ACT or SAT Scores (optional)
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
University of South Dakota · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
University of South Dakota requires no supplemental essays.
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $51,926
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 59.9%
- Within 150% of normal time
- First-year retention
- 79.3%
- Return for year two · CDS Section B
- Median debt
- $23,592
- At graduation
University of South Dakota · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #283
- WSJ: #511
- Niche: #394
Academics and campus
Largest degree fields: Business & marketing (19%), Biological & life sciences (7%), Psychology (5%).
Student–faculty ratio: 16:1 · 45% of class sections have under 20 students.
University of South Dakota Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.