Montana U vs South Dakota University

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, The University of Montana (UM) and the University of South Dakota (USD) stand as two distinct beacons of higher education, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence and vibrant campus life. While both universities share a commitment to providing students with a transformative educational experience, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover the nuances that set these two institutions apart and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
The University of Montana logo

The University of Montana

University of South Dakota logo

University of South Dakota

Overview

Location Missoula, Montana Vermillion, South Dakota
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
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 75.0% 77.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 82.1% 87.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range 1070 - 1280 1050 - 1290
ACT range 18 - 26 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 9.0% 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 41.0% 80.0%
Total number of applicants 7,233 4,272
Total number of admissions given out 5,941 3,717
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,542 1,233
Yield rate 26.0% 33.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,736

Out of state: $44,720
In state: $25,657

Out of state: $29,167
Average net price $15,228 $18,974
Tuition
In state: $5,352

Out of state: $26,112
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,730

Meal plan: $6,324
Room/dormitory: $4,366

Meal plan: $4,234
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $6,340
84.0%
Average amount $5,196
Students receiving federal student loan 44.0%
Average amount $5,401
60.0%
Average amount $5,102
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $13,104
14.0%
Average amount $9,890

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 7,223
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
6,987
Men 35.9% Women 64.1%
Graduate students 2,883
Men 37.0% Women 63.0%
2,477
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 39.4%
International students 1.9% 2.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 2,886 2,154
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A South Dakota Iowa Nebraska Minnesota Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.7% 60.1%
Dropout rate 49.1% 14.2%
Transferred out N/A 24.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,396
  • Year 2: $113,016
  • Year 3: $118,046
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,692
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $71,476
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,746
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $65,366
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $65,302
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,886
  • Year 2: $62,707
  • Year 3: $64,764
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,287
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $61,703
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,687
  • Year 2: $52,433
  • Year 3: $59,094
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,412
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $52,044
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,236
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $50,914
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,604
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $48,041
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,722
  • Year 2: $100,951
  • Year 3: $109,099
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,473
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $100,634
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,587
  • Year 2: $68,778
  • Year 3: $81,751
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $69,478
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,040
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $68,456
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,011
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $68,011
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,632
  • Year 3: $64,788
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,801
  • Year 2: $65,170
  • Year 3: $64,105
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,161
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $63,921
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,986
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $61,718

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