University of South Dakota
A good fit for students who want accessible admissions and in-state South Dakota residents. no major red flags in the data. a public school with 5,239 students.
About This School
University of South Dakota is a public institution located in Vermillion, South Dakota with approximately 5,239 undergraduate students enrolled. University of South Dakota has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 99%. The average net price after financial aid is $19,155 per year. The graduation rate is 61%, and the typical graduate earns $49,500 within 10 years of enrollment.
The University of South Dakota (USD) is a public research university in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States. Established by the Dakota Territory legislature in 1862, 27 years before the establishment of the state of South Dakota, USD is the flagship university of South Dakota and the state's oldest public university. It occupies a 274 acres (1.11 km2) campus located in southeastern South Dakota, approximately 63 miles (101 km) south of Sioux Falls, 39 miles (63 km) northwest of Sioux City, Iowa, and north of the Missouri River.
The numbers tell a mixed story here: while the $17,500 median debt is quite manageable and the near-universal acceptance rate makes this an accessible safety option, the 61% graduation rate is a real concern worth asking about — nearly 4 in 10 students don't finish. Worth considering if you're looking for an affordable public university in a small-town setting, but visit and ask hard questions about academic support, especially since median earnings of $49,500 after 10 years are modest for a four-year degree investment.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (5,239 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in South Dakota
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD · Public
Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls, SD · Public
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City, SD · Public
Dakota State University
Madison, SD · Public
Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD · Public
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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