NSU-Aberdeen vs Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Northern State University and Southern Arkansas University Main Campus, located in opposite corners of the country, offer distinct educational experiences. Northern State, nestled in the vibrant city of Aberdeen, South Dakota, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while Southern Arkansas, situated in the charming town of Magnolia, Arkansas, offers a more intimate learning environment. Both universities excel in different areas of study, with Northern State excelling in fields like education and nursing, and Southern Arkansas excelling in business and agriculture. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these universities' acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and other key factors, helping you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Northern State University logo

Northern State University

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus logo

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Overview

Location Aberdeen, South Dakota Magnolia, Arkansas
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
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 68.0% 64.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 79.8% 62.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
$25
SAT range 1020 - 1190 930 - 1140
ACT range 18 - 24 18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 5.0% 10.0%
Students submitting ACT score 80.0% 100.0%
Total number of applicants 1,229 2,813
Total number of admissions given out 981 1,761
Admitted students who chose to enroll 337 632
Yield rate 34.4% 35.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,495

Out of state: $26,597
In state: $26,411

Out of state: $31,631
Average net price $16,821 $14,141
Tuition
In state: $7,616

Out of state: $10,718
In state: $6,750

Out of state: $11,970
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,800

Meal plan: $4,350
Room/dormitory: $4,340

Meal plan: $3,444
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

89.0%
Average amount $5,662
98.0%
Average amount $8,861
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $4,850
50.0%
Average amount $5,247
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $9,043
3.0%
Average amount $8,817

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,867
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
3,160
Men 43.4% Women 56.6%
Graduate students 473
Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
1,274
Men 35.2% Women 64.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 38.9% 28.0%
International students 2.1% 7.5%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 853 2,032
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Dakota Minnesota North Dakota Iowa Wisconsin Arkansas Texas Louisiana Oklahoma Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Liberal Arts
  • Education
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.6% 40.1%
Dropout rate 25.4% 23.3%
Transferred out 22.9% 35.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $49,248
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $44,021
  • Year 3: $46,732
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,902
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $46,239
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $43,575
  • Year 3: $45,796
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,996
  • Year 2: $40,728
  • Year 3: $45,442
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,033
  • Year 2: $39,523
  • Year 3: $39,953
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,526
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $39,845
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,862
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $20,824
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,740
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,230
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: $70,408
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,929
  • Year 2: $55,151
  • Year 3: $62,262
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,925
  • Year 2: $42,458
  • Year 3: $42,763
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,784
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: $38,968
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,986
  • Year 2: $30,228
  • Year 3: $35,029
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,781
  • Year 2: $33,565
  • Year 3: $33,986
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $28,923
Physics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,362
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: N/A
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $58,402
  • Year 3: N/A

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