South Dakota State University (SDSU) vs Oregon State

South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Oregon State University (OSU) stand as two distinct academic institutions, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. SDSU, located in Brookings, South Dakota, is a public land-grant research university with a strong focus on agriculture, engineering, and nursing. OSU, situated in Corvallis, Oregon, is also a public land-grant research university, renowned for its programs in forestry, engineering, and marine sciences. While both universities share similarities in their academic offerings and research endeavors, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university better aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Oregon State University logo

Oregon State University

South Dakota State University logo

South Dakota State University

Overview

Location Corvallis, Oregon Brookings, South Dakota
Campus setting City: Small Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 80.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 89.2% 87.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range 1120 - 1370 980 - 1220
ACT range 21 - 28 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 25.0% 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 13.0% 86.0%
Total number of applicants 23,188 5,774
Total number of admissions given out 20,687 5,048
Admitted students who chose to enroll 3,965 2,019
Yield rate 19.2% 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: $29,393

Out of state: $48,784
In state: $24,304

Out of state: $27,814
Average net price $20,318 $17,859
Tuition
In state: $10,065

Out of state: $29,456
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $10,260

Meal plan: $4,500
Room/dormitory: $4,054

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

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

87.0%
Average amount $9,156
81.0%
Average amount $4,747
Students receiving federal student loan 28.0%
Average amount $4,944
60.0%
Average amount $5,063
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $18,709
17.0%
Average amount $9,956

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 27,564
Men 52.0% Women 48.0%
9,847
Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
Graduate students 5,629
Men 46.2% Women 53.8%
1,618
Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 35.8% N/A
International students 7.6% 5.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 5,055 4,488
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Oregon California Washington Hawaii Colorado N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • 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 68.2% 59.5%
Dropout rate 10.0% 38.9%
Transferred out 18.9% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,696
  • Year 2: $124,122
  • Year 3: $129,702
Education, General (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $105,213
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $87,539
  • Year 2: $78,719
  • Year 3: $92,424
Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,421
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $87,236
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,600
  • Year 2: $73,446
  • Year 3: $84,460
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,654
  • Year 2: $73,035
  • Year 3: $83,827
Construction Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,542
  • Year 2: $71,295
  • Year 3: $81,840
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,943
  • Year 2: $67,420
  • Year 3: $76,191
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,476
  • Year 2: $62,863
  • Year 3: $76,134
Manufacturing Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $75,733
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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