South Dakota State University (SDSU) vs Idaho State

South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Idaho State University (ISU) are two public universities with distinct characteristics. SDSU, located in Brookings, South Dakota, has an acceptance rate of 88%, while ISU, situated in Pocatello, Idaho, has an acceptance rate of 86%. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with popular majors including nursing, business, and education. SDSU boasts a student body that is predominantly white (84%) and female (56%), while ISU's student body is more diverse, with a larger proportion of Hispanic (17%) and male (52%) students. In terms of graduation rates, SDSU has a four-year graduation rate of 38%, and ISU has a four-year graduation rate of 29%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these and other key differences between SDSU and
Idaho State University logo

Idaho State University

South Dakota State University logo

South Dakota State University

Overview

Location Pocatello, Idaho Brookings, South Dakota
Campus setting City: Small 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 65.0% 80.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate Open Admission 87.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range N/A 980 - 1220
ACT range N/A 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 86.0%
Total number of applicants 5,774
Total number of admissions given out 5,048
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,019
Yield rate 40.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A
High school GPA N/A Required
Recommendation letters N/A Not required
High school transcript N/A Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) N/A Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $23,172

Out of state: $40,626
In state: $24,304

Out of state: $27,814
Average net price $13,012 $17,859
Tuition
In state: $5,928

Out of state: $23,382
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $2,950

Meal plan: $4,390
Room/dormitory: $4,054

Meal plan: $4,082
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

86.0%
Average amount $8,089
81.0%
Average amount $4,747
Students receiving federal student loan 36.0%
Average amount $4,829
60.0%
Average amount $5,063
Students taking out private loans 2.0%
Average amount $9,511
17.0%
Average amount $9,956

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,818
Men 41.1% Women 58.9%
9,847
Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
Graduate students 2,317
Men 39.0% Women 61.0%
1,618
Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 8.9% N/A
International students 1.8% 5.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 1,213 4,488
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Idaho California Utah Washington Wyoming N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Liberal Arts
  • Education
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Education
  • Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 39.1% 59.5%
Dropout rate 36.1% 38.9%
Transferred out 19.7% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,409
  • Year 2: $124,909
  • Year 3: $126,262
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,657
  • Year 2: $103,424
  • Year 3: $112,338
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $77,213
  • Year 3: $77,745
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,905
  • Year 2: $61,516
  • Year 3: $77,011
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $71,957
  • Year 3: $74,473
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,546
  • Year 2: $71,202
  • Year 3: $74,340
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,126
  • Year 2: $55,964
  • Year 3: $69,853
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,021
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $64,966
Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,309
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $64,676
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $62,273
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,688
  • Year 2: $117,014
  • Year 3: $126,250
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $92,277
  • Year 3: $114,802
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,967
  • Year 2: $74,845
  • Year 3: $81,032
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,229
  • Year 2: $61,322
  • Year 3: $70,114
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,268
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $62,932
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,985
  • Year 2: $56,234
  • Year 3: $61,104
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,372
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $60,463
Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,551
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $59,988
Plant Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,213
  • Year 2: $55,151
  • Year 3: $55,715
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $43,798
  • Year 3: $54,439

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