South Dakota University vs Northern Arizona University (NAU)

Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, the University of South Dakota (USD) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) in the scenic Southwest offer distinct educational experiences. USD, with an acceptance rate of 86%, boasts a strong liberal arts foundation and popular majors in business, education, and nursing. NAU, with a slightly higher acceptance rate of 88%, excels in fields like engineering, forestry, and nursing. Both universities foster diverse student bodies, with USD's student population comprising 48% female and 52% male, and NAU's student body consisting of 53% female and 47% male. While USD takes pride in its 6-year graduation rate of 60%, NAU's 6-year graduation rate stands at 56%. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover more about these institutions and make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Northern Arizona University logo

Northern Arizona University

University of South Dakota logo

University of South Dakota

Overview

Location Flagstaff, Arizona Vermillion, South Dakota
Campus setting City: Small Town: Distant
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 74.0% 77.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 78.4% 87.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $25

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range N/A 1050 - 1290
ACT range N/A 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 80.0%
Total number of applicants 42,872 4,272
Total number of admissions given out 33,592 3,717
Admitted students who chose to enroll 5,297 1,233
Yield rate 15.8% 33.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,430

Out of state: $43,176
In state: $25,657

Out of state: $29,167
Average net price $16,059 $18,974
Tuition
In state: $10,650

Out of state: $25,396
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $6,000

Meal plan: $5,338
Room/dormitory: $4,366

Meal plan: $4,234
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

97.0%
Average amount $12,922
84.0%
Average amount $5,196
Students receiving federal student loan 34.0%
Average amount $5,314
60.0%
Average amount $5,102
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $13,306
14.0%
Average amount $9,890

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 24,162
Men 37.0% Women 63.0%
6,987
Men 35.9% Women 64.1%
Graduate students 4,549
Men 32.1% Women 67.9%
2,477
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 31.9% 39.4%
International students 2.2% 2.7%
Campus local/setting City: Small Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 9,853 2,154
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Arizona California Colorado Nevada New Mexico South Dakota Iowa Nebraska Minnesota Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 59.0% 60.1%
Dropout rate 40.0% 14.2%
Transferred out N/A 24.5%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,560
  • Year 2: $101,406
  • Year 3: $108,112
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,716
  • Year 2: $92,632
  • Year 3: $96,135
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,374
  • Year 2: $79,081
  • Year 3: $89,768
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,244
  • Year 2: $76,117
  • Year 3: $81,532
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,225
  • Year 2: $74,890
  • Year 3: $79,106
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,718
  • Year 2: $68,219
  • Year 3: $75,432
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,725
  • Year 2: $71,183
  • Year 3: $71,928
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,840
  • Year 2: $59,350
  • Year 3: $70,793
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,911
  • Year 2: $65,042
  • Year 3: $70,433
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,712
  • Year 2: $54,252
  • Year 3: $68,199
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,722
  • Year 2: $100,951
  • Year 3: $109,099
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,473
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $100,634
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,587
  • Year 2: $68,778
  • Year 3: $81,751
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $69,478
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,040
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $68,456
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,011
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $68,011
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,632
  • Year 3: $64,788
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,801
  • Year 2: $65,170
  • Year 3: $64,105
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,161
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $63,921
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,986
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $61,718

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