South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs Stanford

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and Stanford University stand as two distinct academic institutions, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. SDSMT, a public research university located in Rapid City, South Dakota, is renowned for its strong programs in engineering, science, and technology. In contrast, Stanford University, a private research university situated in Stanford, California, is known for its academic excellence across a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, humanities, and social sciences. While both universities share a commitment to providing high-quality education, they differ significantly in terms of acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which institution better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Stanford University logo

Stanford University

Overview

Location Rapid City, South Dakota Stanford, California
Campus setting City: Small Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 70.0% 98.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 80.5% 3.9%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $90

Graduate: $125
SAT range 1155 - 1355 1470 - 1570
ACT range 24 - 29 34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score 26.0% 15.0%
Students submitting ACT score 84.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 1,445 55,471
Total number of admissions given out 1,163 2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll 489 1,757
Yield rate 42.0% 80.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,330

Out of state: $33,750
$78,898
Average net price $19,257 $14,402
Tuition
In state: $7,820

Out of state: $12,240
$55,473
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,060

Meal plan: $4,080
Room/dormitory: $11,166

Meal plan: $6,694
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

83.0%
Average amount $5,895
61.0%
Average amount $56,211
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $4,907
5.0%
Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,435
1.0%
Average amount $17,186

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,083
Men 76.4% Women 23.6%
7,645
Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students 333
Men 76.3% Women 23.7%
10,035
Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 63.0% 58.5%
International students 5.3% 24.4%
Campus local/setting City: Small Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,082 14,621
First year students are required to live on campus? No Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Dakota Colorado Minnesota Nebraska Wyoming California Texas Washington New York Illinois

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 5:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 52.3% 95.5%
Dropout rate 35.2% 1.7%
Transferred out 7.2% 0.6%
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
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $151,574
  • Year 2: $170,457
  • Year 3: $210,837
Computer Science (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $159,729
  • Year 2: $168,942
  • Year 3: $203,193
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $164,734
  • Year 2: $163,337
  • Year 3: $187,054
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $137,457
  • Year 2: $150,874
  • Year 3: $173,548
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $136,126
  • Year 2: $136,499
  • Year 3: $165,375
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $128,556
  • Year 2: $135,709
  • Year 3: $157,500
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $123,354
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $139,234
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $105,326
  • Year 2: $111,435
  • Year 3: $126,185
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $108,457
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $107,477
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,475
  • Year 2: $85,391
  • Year 3: $104,592

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