Regional university
Northern State University
Aberdeen, SD · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $15,812 a year
Median debt at graduation: $22,320 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.49%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,089 · ACT 21
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,584
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $22,077 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,932 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 43% · Women 57% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 31% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 28% |
| Total students | 3,521 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $15,812 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $22,077 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $22,320 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 49% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 34% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 30% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 65% |
| First-year retention | 77% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $47,618 |
| Admission rate | 93% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $20 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $708 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 12% |
| Average SAT | 1089 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 490–590 |
| SAT math | 490–570 |
| ACT composite | 18–24 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 44% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Biology | |
| Accounting | |
| Business administration | |
| Kinesiology and exercise science | |
| Sociology | |
| Finance | |
| Psychology | |
| Teacher education |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biochemistry, Chemistry, Clinical laboratory science, Criminal justice, Design, Ecology and evolutionary biology, Economics, English, Fine arts, German, Global studies, History, Information technology, International business, Liberal arts, Management information systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Music, Political science, Romance languages, Secondary education, Special education, Theatre, Writing and rhetoric.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Business | |
| Education | |
| Biology | |
| Psychology | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Town |
| Part-time undergraduates | 18% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 7% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $10,600 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 4%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Disability services | Visit the office’s pageThe college’s own page |
| Faculty who are full-time | 95%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $23,926IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 26% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Hector International Airport (FAR)About 129 miles away · about 3 hours 25 minutes by car |
| Town population | 28,189Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | MinneapolisAbout 256 miles away · about 5 hours 50 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 11°F in January · 71°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Aberdeen 3 E, SD, about 3 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 0.27 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.00 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Northern State University’s Compass Score?
- Good (grade B-). The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Northern State University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $15,812 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Northern State University?
- Northern State University admitted 93% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Northern State University’s graduates do?
- 49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $47,618; the median federal debt at graduation is $22,320.
Ask the school
Something you want to know that isn’t on this page? Ask it here. We send it to the school, and their answer appears on this page. Your name is never shared.
Reviews
Personal experiences from signed-in readers. Reviews are moderated automatically and never change a school’s grades.
No reviews yet.
Sign in to write a review.
My rating and notes
Sign in or create a free account to rate this school privately, keep notes, and save it to your list.
About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 219259
- Carnegie classification: Master's university (small programs)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
- Report an error or a newer source
- Respond as this school
Colleges like this one
The same kind of school first, then the closest in selectivity, size and cost.
Compare side by side: Northern State vs Black Hills State · Northern State vs East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · Northern State vs University of Wisconsin-Superior · Northern State vs Mississippi University for Women
More in South Dakota · South Dakota rankings