NSU-Aberdeen vs Castleton University

Northern State University and Castleton University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Northern State University, nestled in the vibrant city of Aberdeen, South Dakota, boasts a higher acceptance rate, welcoming a diverse student body from various backgrounds. Castleton University, situated in the charming town of Castleton, Vermont, maintains a smaller student population, fostering a close-knit community. While Northern State University excels in fields like business, education, and nursing, Castleton University shines in areas such as environmental science, psychology, and social work. With varying graduation rates and unique campus cultures, these universities cater to different aspirations and preferences. Explore the comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic goals and personal aspirations.

	Castleton University	Northern State University
Overview
Location	Castleton, Vermont	Aberdeen, South Dakota
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
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	67.0%	68.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	87.3%	79.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $40	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35
SAT range	958 - 1158	1020 - 1190
ACT range	16 - 22	18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%	5.0%
Students submitting ACT score	1.0%	80.0%
Total number of applicants	2,447	1,229
Total number of admissions given out	2,136	981
Admitted students who chose to enroll	391	337
Yield rate	18.3%	34.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $27,308 Out of state: $44,276	In state: $23,495 Out of state: $26,597
Average net price	$17,970	$16,821
Tuition	In state: $11,832 Out of state: $28,800	In state: $7,616 Out of state: $10,718
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $7,312 Meal plan: $4,730	Room/dormitory: $4,800 Meal plan: $4,350
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $13,124	89.0% Average amount $5,662
Students receiving federal student loan	75.0% Average amount $5,202	65.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	19.0% Average amount $13,210	10.0% Average amount $9,043

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,744 Men 44.2% Women 55.8%	2,867 Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students	625 Men 22.6% Women 77.4%	473 Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	50.9%	38.9%
International students	3.2%	2.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	1,100	853
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Vermont New York New Hampshire Connecticut New Jersey	South Dakota Minnesota North Dakota Iowa Wisconsin

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Multidisciplinary Studies Education	Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Business Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	New England Commission on Higher Education	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	55.1%	47.6%
Dropout rate	15.3%	25.4%
Transferred out	28.5%	22.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,804 Year 2: $63,855 Year 3: $68,139 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $58,221 Year 3: $62,747 Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $49,942 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,266 Year 2: $37,363 Year 3: $42,872 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,556 Year 2: $31,581 Year 3: $40,781 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,579 Year 2: $26,585 Year 3: $38,364 Health/Medical Preparatory Programs (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,193 Year 2: $33,687 Year 3: $37,105 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,109 Year 2: $30,409 Year 3: $35,029 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $30,047 Year 3: $33,702 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A	Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $49,248 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,021 Year 3: $46,732 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,902 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $46,239 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,575 Year 3: $45,796 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,996 Year 2: $40,728 Year 3: $45,442 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,033 Year 2: $39,523 Year 3: $39,953 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,526 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $39,845 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,862 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,824 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,740 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: N/A

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