South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and Southern Arkansas University Main Campus (SAU) are two distinct institutions offering unique educational experiences. SDSMT, located in Rapid City, South Dakota, is a public research university with a strong focus on science, engineering, and technology. SAU, situated in Magnolia, Arkansas, is a public liberal arts university with a diverse range of academic programs. While both universities offer quality education, they differ in several aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus logo

Southern Arkansas University Main Campus

Overview

Location Rapid City, South Dakota Magnolia, Arkansas
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 70.0% 64.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 80.5% 62.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
$25
SAT range 1155 - 1355 930 - 1140
ACT range 24 - 29 18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 26.0% 10.0%
Students submitting ACT score 84.0% 100.0%
Total number of applicants 1,445 2,813
Total number of admissions given out 1,163 1,761
Admitted students who chose to enroll 489 632
Yield rate 42.0% 35.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not 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: $29,330

Out of state: $33,750
In state: $26,411

Out of state: $31,631
Average net price $19,257 $14,141
Tuition
In state: $7,820

Out of state: $12,240
In state: $6,750

Out of state: $11,970
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,060

Meal plan: $4,080
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)

83.0%
Average amount $5,895
98.0%
Average amount $8,861
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $4,907
50.0%
Average amount $5,247
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,435
3.0%
Average amount $8,817

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,083
Men 76.4% Women 23.6%
3,160
Men 43.4% Women 56.6%
Graduate students 333
Men 76.3% Women 23.7%
1,274
Men 35.2% Women 64.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 63.0% 28.0%
International students 5.3% 7.5%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,082 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 Colorado Minnesota Nebraska Wyoming Arkansas Texas Louisiana Oklahoma Alabama

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Liberal Arts
  • Education
  • Business
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 52.3% 40.1%
Dropout rate 35.2% 23.3%
Transferred out 7.2% 35.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $61,020
  • Year 3: $75,822
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,634
  • Year 2: $67,789
  • Year 3: $71,638
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,408
  • Year 2: $60,523
  • Year 3: $64,746
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,674
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: N/A
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,157
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $74,953
  • Year 3: N/A
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,319
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: N/A
Geological/Geophysical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,327
  • Year 2: $50,856
  • Year 3: N/A
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,985
  • Year 2: N/A
  • 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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