Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) vs South Dakota State University (SDSU)

Saint Cloud State University and South Dakota State University, both public universities 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. South Dakota State, situated in South Dakota, has a lower acceptance rate, indicating a more selective admissions process. While Saint Cloud State excels in programs like business, education, and nursing, South Dakota State shines in fields such as agriculture, engineering, and nursing. Saint Cloud State's student body is more diverse, with a higher percentage of international students, while South Dakota State's student body is predominantly white. Both universities offer a vibrant campus life, with various student organizations and activities. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table highlighting key differences between these two institutions. Explore the table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Saint Cloud State University	South Dakota State University
Overview
Location	Saint Cloud, Minnesota	Brookings, South Dakota
Campus setting	City: Small	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	62.0%	80.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	94.3%	87.4%
Application fees	$40	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35
SAT range	N/A	980 - 1220
ACT range	18 - 24	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score		3.0%
Students submitting ACT score	39.0%	86.0%
Total number of applicants	4,228	5,774
Total number of admissions given out	3,988	5,048
Admitted students who chose to enroll	837	2,019
Yield rate	21.0%	40.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,317 Out of state: $31,157	In state: $24,304 Out of state: $27,814
Average net price	$13,615	$17,859
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: $4,054 Meal plan: $4,082
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	83.0% Average amount $6,233	81.0% Average amount $4,747
Students receiving federal student loan	48.0% Average amount $5,504	60.0% Average amount $5,063
Students taking out private loans	12.0% Average amount $10,683	17.0% Average amount $9,956

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	8,956 Men 45.7% Women 54.3%	9,847 Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
Graduate students	1,818 Men 36.9% Women 63.1%	1,618 Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	10.2%	5.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Small	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	1,642	4,488
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Health Professions Business Engineering Liberal Arts	Health Professions Engineering Family and Consumer Sciences Education Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio	16:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	47.2%	59.5%
Dropout rate	16.2%	38.9%
Transferred out	34.9%	N/A
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	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $110,688 Year 2: $117,014 Year 3: $126,250 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $92,277 Year 3: $114,802 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,967 Year 2: $74,845 Year 3: $81,032 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,229 Year 2: $61,322 Year 3: $70,114 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,268 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $62,932 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $54,985 Year 2: $56,234 Year 3: $61,104 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $58,372 Year 2: $57,860 Year 3: $60,463 Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,551 Year 2: $56,776 Year 3: $59,988 Plant Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,213 Year 2: $55,151 Year 3: $55,715 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $54,439

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Saint Cloud State University (SCSU) vs South Dakota State University (SDSU)

Saint Cloud State University

South Dakota State University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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