South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA)
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT) and University of Virginia-Main Campus (UVA) are two distinct institutions of higher learning with unique offerings and characteristics. SDSMT, a public research university in Rapid City, South Dakota, is renowned for its strong engineering and science programs, while UVA, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, boasts a comprehensive range of academic disciplines, including a highly regarded liberal arts education. With acceptance rates of 86% and 26%, respectively, these universities cater to different levels of academic competitiveness. While SDSMT's student body is predominantly male (63%) and leans towards STEM majors (60%), UVA's student population is more gender-balanced (53% female) and offers a wider variety of popular majors, including social sciences, humanities, and business. Furthermore, SDSMT's graduation rate of 60% stands in contrast to UVA's higher graduation rate of 89%. Explore the detailed
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![]() South Dakota School of Mines and Technology |
![]() University of Virginia-Main Campus |
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Overview |
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Location | Rapid City, South Dakota | Charlottesville, Virginia |
Campus setting | City: Small | Suburb: 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% |
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No | Yes |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 80.5% | 20.7% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$20
Graduate:
$35
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Undergraduate:
$75
Graduate:
$85
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SAT range | 1155 - 1355 | 1380 - 1500 |
ACT range | 24 - 29 | 32 - 35 |
Students submitting SAT score | 26.0% | 52.0% |
Students submitting ACT score | 84.0% | 21.0% |
Total number of applicants | 1,445 | 47,971 |
Total number of admissions given out | 1,163 | 9,951 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 489 | 3,889 |
Yield rate | 42.0% | 39.1% |
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 |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$29,330
Out of state:
$33,750
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In state:
$36,314
Out of state:
$70,696
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Average net price | $19,257 | $20,401 |
Tuition |
In state:
$7,820
Out of state:
$12,240
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In state:
$16,010
Out of state:
$49,710
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Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$4,060
Meal plan:
$4,080
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Room/dormitory:
$7,110
Meal plan:
$5,550
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Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
83.0%
Average amount $5,895 |
46.0%
Average amount $19,612 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
52.0%
Average amount $4,907 |
25.0%
Average amount $4,845 |
Students taking out private loans |
13.0%
Average amount $12,435 |
6.0%
Average amount $11,030 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,083
Men 76.4% Women 23.6% |
17,294
Men 43.7% Women 56.3% |
Graduate students |
333
Men 76.3% Women 23.7% |
8,711
Men 46.9% Women 53.1% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Very Low
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Low
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Out-of-state students | 63.0% | 35.2% |
International students | 5.3% | 8.8% |
Campus local/setting | City: Small | Suburb: Small |
Dormitory capacity | 1,082 | 7,645 |
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 | Virginia New York Maryland Pennsylvania New Jersey |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 15:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 52.3% | 93.7% |
Dropout rate | 35.2% | 2.3% |
Transferred out | 7.2% | 3.6% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Geological/Geophysical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
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Law (First Professional Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Software and Media Applications (Master's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees)
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Systems Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Public Policy Analysis (Master's Degrees)
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