gradeB+
Overall Niche Grade
How are grades calculated?Data Sources
Academics
gradeB+
Value
gradeB+
Diversity
gradeB+
Campus
gradeB+
Athletics
gradeA minus
Party Scene
gradeA
Professors
gradeA
Location
gradeB
Dorms
gradeB
Campus Food
gradeB+
Student Life
gradeA
Safety
gradeB+
editorial
South Dakota is an above-average public university located in Vermillion, South Dakota. It is a small institution with an enrollment of 4,544 undergraduate students. The South Dakota acceptance rate is 99%. Popular majors include Nursing, Health Service Preparatory Studies, and Business. Graduating 57% of students, South Dakota alumni go on to earn a starting salary of $35,200.
About South Dakota...
- Common App Accepted
- Public College
- SAT/ACT Optional
- Some Online Degrees
Athletics Division
NCAA Division I-FCS
Athletics Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
Compare to Other Colleges
- South Dakota
- Vermillion
University of South Dakota Rankings
Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.
See All University of South Dakota Rankings
USD Admissions
Acceptance Rate
99%
Application Deadline
Deadline for application submissions. Please contact the school for more details.
Rolling Admissions
SAT Range
1020-1300
ACT Range
19-25
Application Fee
$20
SAT/ACT
Considered but not required
High School GPA
Considered but not required
Early Decision/Early Action
No data available —
Application Website
Students also applied to ...
gradeB+
South Dakota State University
gradeB
University of Sioux Falls
gradeA minus
Augustana University
gradeC+
Black Hills State University
gradeB
Dakota State University
gradeB
Northern State University
gradeB minus
Dakota Wesleyan University
gradeB minus
Morningside University
More
Read More About Admissions
Will You Get Into USD?
Test Scores and High School GPA for University of South Dakota
See Other CollegesCost
Net Price
$18,378/ year
National
$15,523
Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Average Total Aid Awarded
$6,308/ year
National
$7,535
Students Receiving Financial Aid
94%
Find Private Student Loans
Find College Scholarships
Find college scholarships
Academics
Professors
gradeA
Based on faculty accomplishments, salary, student reviews, and additional factors.
Student Faculty Ratio
11:1
Evening Degree Programs
Yes
84%
of students agree that professors put a lot of effort into teaching their classes.58 responses
84%
of students agree that it is easy to get the classes they want.74 responses
70%
of students agree that the workload is easy to manage.73 responses
Read More About Academics
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Majors
Most Popular Majors
Nursing
163 Graduates
Health Service Preparatory Studies
86 Graduates
Business
80 Graduates
Liberal Arts and Humanities
74 Graduates
Elementary Education
70 Graduates
Psychology
66 Graduates
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
59 Graduates
Communications
56 Graduates
Accounting
55 Graduates
Medical Social Work
53 Graduates
More
See All Majors
Online
Programs Offered Entirely Online
Total number of complete undergraduate programs offered online or through distance learning.
1
Offers Online Courses
College offers distance education courses.
Yes
Online Certificate Programs
Total number of certificate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
1
Online Associates Programs
Total number of associate degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Online Bachelor's Programs
Total number of bachelor's degree programs offered online or through distance education.
Explore All Online Majors
How Students Learn
Based on class setting of student enrollment.
Mix of Online and on Campus
29%
On Campus
41%
Online
30%
Students
Full-Time Enrollment
4,544Undergrads
Part-Time Undergrads
2,588
Undergrads Over 25
9%
Pell Grant
24%
Varsity Athletes
9%
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes the typical student at this school?
Based on
55 responses
Friendly
73%
Outgoing
11%
Preppy
5%
Stressed
5%
Naive
4%
Tool
2%
More
Read More About the Students
Campus Life
Freshmen Live On-Campus
No data available —
Poll
44%
of students say that Greek life is average, and no one will treat you differently if you don't join.93 responses
Poll
47%
of students say varsity sports are a big part of campus life.107 responses
Poll
What one word or phrase best describes your school?
Based on
58 responses
Pretty good with friendly people/professors
28%
Actually pretty great!
21%
Just an average college.
19%
It is a good school for the price you pay.
17%
Home away from home
9%
Absolutely Fantastic
7%
More
Read More About Campus Life
After College
Median Earnings 6 Years After Graduation
$42,000/ year
National
$33,028
Graduation Rate
57%
National
49%
Employed 2 Years After Graduation
94%
National
83%
90%
of students feel confident they will find a job in their field after graduation.29 responses
Read More About Life After Graduation
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Colleges like University of South Dakota
gradeB+
South Dakota State University
- 4 Year
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Rating 3.61 out of 5 1,454 reviews
gradeB
University of Sioux Falls
- 4 Year
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Rating 3.75 out of 5 231 reviews
gradeA minus
Augustana University
- 4 Year
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Rating 3.88 out of 5 499 reviews
gradeC+
Black Hills State University
- 4 Year
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Rating 3.53 out of 5 640 reviews
University of South Dakota Reviews
Rating 3.69 out of 5 959 reviews
Rating 4 out of 5
I really enjoyed talking to my professors as they are super friendly. My favorite professor is my Russian professor as she made learning Cyrillic and Russian fun. She also talked about how growing up in the Soviet Union was which made the class very engaging. Now there are things I would like to see changed is having dedicated student advisors who can sign a student up for classes as right now a student has to talk to there advisor about classes they would like to take, then get clearance, then the student themselves has to sign up. Which is frustrating as you are then tied to your advisor's schedule in when you can finally register. Also I wish their website was easier to navigate as it is difficult to find the library page and the academic sources link.
- Junior
- 12 days ago
Rating 4 out of 5
The University of South Dakota has proven to be an excellent choice for students seeking a smaller, more intimate academic setting, boasting a commendable faculty-to-student ratio. Having completed 45 credits thus far, I am pleased to report a high level of satisfaction with both the faculty and the academic offerings. One of the standout features of my experience has been the professors' genuine care for their students, which has undoubtedly contributed to my academic success. However, while my overall experience has been positive, there is room for improvement. Specifically, I believe the university could focus more on housing and broadening student living opportunities to ensure that all students have housing access. By continuing to prioritize these efforts, the University of South Dakota can further solidify its reputation as a welcoming and supportive academic institution.
- Freshman
- 3 months ago
Rating 5 out of 5
I will be a student at USD in spring 2025 following Basic Training and AIT. I am looking forward to studying in the Business program at USD, participating in ROTC, and focusing on my future. I believe USD will provide a great education, living experience, and provide me great success.
- Other
- 10 days ago