NSU-Aberdeen vs University of Mary (UMary)

Northern State University and University of Mary, both located in North Dakota, offer distinct educational experiences. Northern State University, a public institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (88%) compared to University of Mary's (75%), a private university. While Northern State University excels in popular majors like Business, Education, and Nursing, University of Mary shines in fields such as Business, Health Professions, and Education. Northern State University's student body is more diverse, with 43% female and 57% male students, while University of Mary's student body is predominantly female (62%). Both universities boast impressive graduation rates, with Northern State University at 56% and University of Mary at 58%. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northern State University logo

Northern State University

University of Mary logo

University of Mary

Overview

Location Aberdeen, South Dakota Bismarck, North Dakota
Campus setting Town: Remote Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 68.0% 77.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 79.8% 78.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $45
SAT range 1020 - 1190 N/A
ACT range 18 - 24 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 5.0%
Students submitting ACT score 80.0%
Total number of applicants 1,229 1,532
Total number of admissions given out 981 1,207
Admitted students who chose to enroll 337 510
Yield rate 34.4% 42.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,495

Out of state: $26,597
$35,370
Average net price $16,821 $19,474
Tuition
In state: $7,616

Out of state: $10,718
$18,340
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,800

Meal plan: $4,350
Room/dormitory: $3,690

Meal plan: $4,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

89.0%
Average amount $5,662
100.0%
Average amount $11,954
Students receiving federal student loan 65.0%
Average amount $4,850
65.0%
Average amount $5,176
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $9,043
20.0%
Average amount $10,222

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,867
Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
2,579
Men 41.5% Women 58.5%
Graduate students 473
Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
1,215
Men 30.4% Women 69.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 38.9% 64.5%
International students 2.1% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 853 1,325
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 North Dakota Minnesota Wisconsin California Montana

Academics

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

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.6% 64.3%
Dropout rate 25.4% 31.5%
Transferred out 22.9% 2.5%
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,755
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $91,441
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,785
  • Year 2: $60,230
  • Year 3: $65,123
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,166
  • Year 2: $54,359
  • Year 3: $62,069
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,298
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $59,512
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,302
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,222
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,750
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,621
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,370
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: N/A

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