South Dakota State University (SDSU) vs MSU-Bozeman

South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Montana State University (MSU) stand out as two prominent public universities in the Midwest and the West, respectively. While they share similarities in their commitment to academic excellence and vibrant campus life, they also possess distinct characteristics that cater to different student preferences and aspirations. SDSU boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for prospective students. MSU, on the other hand, offers a wider range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including highly regarded offerings in engineering, agriculture, and nursing. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details about these universities, including their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Discover which institution aligns best with your academic goals and personal preferences, setting the stage for a fulfilling and successful higher education journey.

	Montana State University	South Dakota State University
Overview
Location	Bozeman, Montana	Brookings, South Dakota
Campus setting	Town: Remote	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	76.0%	80.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	73.0%	87.4%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $38 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35
SAT range	1070 - 1300	980 - 1220
ACT range	20 - 27	19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score	26.0%	3.0%
Students submitting ACT score	42.0%	86.0%
Total number of applicants	26,741	5,774
Total number of admissions given out	19,522	5,048
Admitted students who chose to enroll	3,874	2,019
Yield rate	19.8%	40.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $23,286 Out of state: $44,022	In state: $24,304 Out of state: $27,814
Average net price	$17,821	$17,859
Tuition	In state: $5,654 Out of state: $26,086	In state: $7,773 Out of state: $11,283
Room & board	$10,400	Room/dormitory: $4,054 Meal plan: $4,082
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	92.0% Average amount $6,287	81.0% Average amount $4,747
Students receiving federal student loan	35.0% Average amount $5,191	60.0% Average amount $5,063
Students taking out private loans	5.0% Average amount $17,984	17.0% Average amount $9,956

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	14,648 Men 53.5% Women 46.5%	9,847 Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
Graduate students	2,140 Men 42.0% Women 58.0%	1,618 Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	66.1%	N/A
International students	2.3%	5.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	4,603	4,488
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Montana Washington Colorado California Oregon	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Engineering Education Business Health Professions Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Engineering Family and Consumer Sciences Education Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	17:1
Institutional accreditation	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	54.5%	59.5%
Dropout rate	42.1%	38.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,934 Year 2: $72,325 Year 3: $85,881 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $70,974 Year 2: $65,387 Year 3: $73,528 Construction Engineering Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,082 Year 2: $63,997 Year 3: $73,041 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,740 Year 2: $61,090 Year 3: $73,003 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $55,299 Year 2: $57,860 Year 3: $64,492 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $62,767 Year 2: $59,411 Year 3: $59,227 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $56,660 Year 2: $56,234 Year 3: $58,924 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $60,052 Year 2: $53,671 Year 3: $57,998 Environmental Design (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,010 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $55,431 Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $53,200 Year 2: $41,565 Year 3: $53,365	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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