South Dakota State University (SDSU) vs Southern Oregon University (SOU)

South Dakota State University (SDSU) and Southern Oregon University (SOU) are two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. SDSU, located in Brookings, South Dakota, is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 88%, while SOU, situated in Ashland, Oregon, is a public liberal arts university with an acceptance rate of 90%. Both universities offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, with SDSU excelling in fields like agriculture, engineering, and nursing, and SOU specializing in liberal arts, environmental studies, and business. While SDSU boasts a larger student body, predominantly comprising White students, SOU's student population is smaller and more diverse. Additionally, SDSU has a higher graduation rate compared to SOU. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these aspects and more. Explore the table to discover which university aligns best with your academic
South Dakota State University logo

South Dakota State University

Southern Oregon University logo

Southern Oregon University

Overview

Location Brookings, South Dakota Ashland, Oregon
Campus setting Town: Remote Suburb: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 80.0% 69.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 87.4% 89.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 980 - 1220 980 - 1230
ACT range 19 - 25 18 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 86.0% 21.0%
Total number of applicants 5,774 1,913
Total number of admissions given out 5,048 1,716
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,019 519
Yield rate 40.0% 30.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,304

Out of state: $27,814
In state: $25,142

Out of state: $42,962
Average net price $17,859 $12,134
Tuition
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
In state: $9,045

Out of state: $26,865
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,054

Meal plan: $4,082
Room/dormitory: $8,235

Meal plan: $5,925
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

81.0%
Average amount $4,747
75.0%
Average amount $5,932
Students receiving federal student loan 60.0%
Average amount $5,063
42.0%
Average amount $4,778
Students taking out private loans 17.0%
Average amount $9,956
0.0%
Average amount $0

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,847
Men 45.2% Women 54.8%
4,396
Men 38.7% Women 61.3%
Graduate students 1,618
Men 37.3% Women 62.7%
783
Men 30.3% Women 69.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 5.1% 1.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 4,488 1,000
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Education
  • Agriculture
  • Education
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 59.5% 41.0%
Dropout rate 38.9% 55.3%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,797
  • Year 2: $47,729
  • Year 3: $50,405
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,167
  • Year 2: $47,650
  • Year 3: $50,120
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,975
  • Year 2: $40,017
  • Year 3: $47,745
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,536
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $47,221
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,746
  • Year 2: $33,192
  • Year 3: $42,371
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,398
  • Year 2: $29,322
  • Year 3: $40,135
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,901
  • Year 2: $31,042
  • Year 3: $34,974
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,131
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $33,557
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,663
  • Year 2: $26,739
  • Year 3: $32,403
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,082
  • Year 2: $21,312
  • Year 3: $26,467

Compare Similar Colleges

The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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