South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique offerings and characteristics. SDSMT, a public research university in Rapid City, South Dakota, specializes in science, engineering, and technology, while UNC, a public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs across various disciplines. With different acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to diverse student populations and academic interests. Explore the comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your educational aspirations and goals.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology logo

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Overview

Location Rapid City, South Dakota Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Campus setting City: Small City: Small
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% 97.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 80.5% 20.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $95
SAT range 1155 - 1355 1140 - 1380
ACT range 24 - 29 22 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 26.0% 2.0%
Students submitting ACT score 84.0% 12.0%
Total number of applicants 1,445 50,729
Total number of admissions given out 1,163 10,348
Admitted students who chose to enroll 489 4,690
Yield rate 42.0% 45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not 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: $24,770

Out of state: $52,633
Average net price $19,257 $11,508
Tuition
In state: $7,820

Out of state: $12,240
In state: $7,019

Out of state: $34,882
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,060

Meal plan: $4,080
Room/dormitory: $6,878

Meal plan: $5,004
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

83.0%
Average amount $5,895
42.0%
Average amount $16,076
Students receiving federal student loan 52.0%
Average amount $4,907
17.0%
Average amount $4,244
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $12,435
3.0%
Average amount $14,032

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,083
Men 76.4% Women 23.6%
19,845
Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Graduate students 333
Men 76.3% Women 23.7%
11,796
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students 63.0% 16.2%
International students 5.3% 6.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 1,082 9,984
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 North Carolina Georgia Maryland New York Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 52.3% 90.5%
Dropout rate 35.2% 3.7%
Transferred out 7.2% 5.4%
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
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $168,979
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $238,213
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,965
  • Year 2: $127,836
  • Year 3: $150,089
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,248
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $128,102
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,961
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $117,488
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,271
  • Year 2: $86,036
  • Year 3: $96,602
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,162
  • Year 2: $72,083
  • Year 3: $95,204
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,938
  • Year 2: $73,823
  • Year 3: $89,917
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,557
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $87,057
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,899
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $86,155
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,205
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $82,520

Compare Similar Colleges

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