South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD
98.3%
Acceptance Rate
$9,299
Avg Cost (In-State)
$12,809
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
61%
Graduation Rate
9,198
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
Rolling admissions
Common App
No
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
0
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$20
Interview
Not required
Essays: No essay required for general admission
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$49,564
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$55,070
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
61%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $71,758 | $77,932 | 438 |
| Animal Sciences. | $44,844 | $53,784 | 121 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $43,530 | $43,934 | 88 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $67,791 | $87,704 | 77 |
| Agriculture, General. | $49,781 | $61,132 | 74 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. | $45,625 | $50,076 | 71 |
| Agricultural Business and Management. | $51,222 | $67,425 | 67 |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management. | $39,483 | $50,623 | 62 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
SD Build Dakota Scholarship
Tuition + fees + books + work obligation
stateSD residents in approved CTE programs at SD technical colleges; 3-year SD work commitment after graduation.
Deadline: Spring of senior year
Learn more ↗Federal Work-Study
Varies (hourly wages, typically $10–$20/hr)
federalStudents with financial need who want to earn money through part-time employment while enrolled.
Deadline: Varies by school (apply via FAFSA)
Learn more ↗Federal Pell Grant
Up to $7,395/year
federalUndergraduate students with demonstrated financial need (determined by FAFSA EFC).
Deadline: June 30 (FAFSA deadline for current award year)
Learn more ↗Dell Scholars Program
$20,000 over 4 years + laptop + textbook credits
nationalStudents who have participated in an approved college-readiness program, demonstrate financial need, and have a minimum 2.4 GPA.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Coca-Cola Scholars Program
$20,000
nationalHigh school seniors with a minimum 3.0 GPA who demonstrate leadership and community service.
Deadline: October 31
Learn more ↗Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship
Up to $55,000/year
nationalHigh-achieving high school seniors with financial need (family income under $95,000). Minimum 3.5 GPA.
Deadline: November 18
Learn more ↗Siemens Competition (now part of Regeneron ISEF)
Up to $100,000
activityHigh school students who compete in regional and national ISEF-affiliated science fairs.
Deadline: Varies by regional fair
Learn more ↗Regeneron Science Talent Search
Up to $250,000 (top award)
activityHigh school seniors who complete an independent science, math, or engineering research project.
Deadline: November (registration opens in June)
Learn more ↗Gates Scholarship
Full cost of attendance (last-dollar funding)
nationalPell-eligible high school seniors who are Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, or Native American with a minimum 3.3 GPA.
Deadline: September 15
Learn more ↗Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 98.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
98.34%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
25.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
28.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
56.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
8.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
47.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
76.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
56.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
California State University-Stanislaus
Turlock, CA
98.1% acceptance
Both admit around 98% of applicants, with 8k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver, CO
98.8% acceptance
Both admit around 99% of applicants, with 15k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg, MS
99.1% acceptance
Both admit around 99% of applicants, with 10k undergrads and a s campus — a close selectivity match.
Reaches above this college
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
45.2% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (45% vs 98%) — a stretch target if South Dakota State University is already on your list.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL
42.4% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (42% vs 98%) — a stretch target if South Dakota State University is already on your list.
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
17.7% acceptance
Same c setting in the Midwest, but more selective (18% vs 98%) — a stretch target if South Dakota State University is already on your list.
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