Northern State University
Aberdeen, SD · Public · offers Graduate degrees
93%Acceptance rate
$15,812Average net price / year
49%Graduation rate
$47,618Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$22,320Median debt at graduation
1,273Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $8,845
- Out-of-state tuition
- $11,947
- Total cost of attendance
- $22,077
- Room & board
- $10,600
- Books & supplies
- $1,200
- Average net price
- $15,812
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $10,762
- $30–48k
- $12,087
- $48–75k
- $15,293
- $75–110k
- $18,372
- $110k+
- $17,933
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 93.0%
- Average SAT
- 1089
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 490–590
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 490–570
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 18–24
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 49%
- First-year retention
- 77%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $41,536
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $47,618
- Median debt (graduates)
- $22,320
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 12%
- Students with federal loans
- 22%
Programs: what graduates earn
12 of 70 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting and Related Services | 20 | $51,239 | $25,000 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 7 | $47,781 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 35 | $46,042 | $20,500 |
| Marketing | 7 | $45,891 | $23,250 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 26 | $43,667 | $23,000 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 30 | $40,123 | $24,150 |
| Biology, General | 18 | $49,248 | $21,862 |
| Psychology, General | 14 | $45,921 | — |
| Sociology | 13 | $50,765 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curriculum and Instruction | 46 | $51,127 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 8 | $40,724 | — |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 2 | $46,732 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 1,273
- Graduate students
- 958
- Part-time
- 18%
- Women / men
- 57% / 43%
- White
- 79%
- Hispanic
- 6%
- Black
- 3%
- Asian
- 2%
- International
- 2%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 19:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $80,541 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 95%
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Website
- northern.edu
- Also known as
- NSU
Most popular fields
- Education – 21% of degrees
- Foreign Languages – 2% of degrees
- English – 2% of degrees
- Liberal Arts & General Studies – 11% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 18% of degrees
- Parks, Recreation & Fitness – 3% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Northern State University?
93.0% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1089 on the SAT.
How much does Northern State University cost?
The average net price after grants is $15,812 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $8,845 and the full cost of attendance is $22,077.
How much do Northern State University graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $47,618 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.