Northern State University

Northern State University Overview

Northern State University is a public, state school in a small town setting in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Northern State University was founded in 1901 and the school presently has around 3,340 students a year, which includes 2,867 undergraduate students. Northern State University provides on-campus housing for up to 788 students. The majority of students live on campus, and first year-students are required to live in campus housing. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2023 should hear from Northern State University by March 1.

Student Involvement at Northern State University

Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of the school's theater groups.

Are you interested in journalism and communications? Northern State University students can write for the campus newspaperor be a producer for the student-run television channel.

There are no fraternities or sororities at Northern State University, so it might be a good choice if you're not interested in Greek life.

Planning to play sports? Northern State University has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at Northern State University on the Student Life page.

2022 Northern State University Facts At-A-Glance
Academic Calendar	Semester
Overall Acceptance Rate	80%
Early Decision Acceptance Rate	ED not offered
Early Action Acceptance Rate	EA not offered
Average GPA	3.4
Applicants Submitting SAT scores	5%
In-State Tuition	$7,616
Out-of-State	$10,718
Percent of Need Met	71%
Average First-Year Financial Aid Package	$12,222

---

Is Northern State University a Good School?

---

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Some factors that can help you determine what a good school for you might be include admissions criteria, acceptance rate, tuition costs, and more.

Let's take a look at these factors to get a clearer idea of what Northern State University offers and if it might be a good choice for you.

2022 Acceptance Rate for Northern State University

It is not difficult to get into Northern State University. The acceptance rate at Northern State University is 80%. Out of 1,229 applications received in 2022, 981 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at Northern State University

Retention refers to the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

About 68% of students who start at Northern State University come back for their second year of college. Around 56% of students who started at Northern State University earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outlook Northern State University Graduates

Job placement stats are a good resource for understanding the value of a degree from Northern State University by providing a look on how job placement has gone for other grads. Within six months of graduating, 76% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

Check with Northern State University directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

Northern State University's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students.

As of 2022, the total market value of Northern State University's endowment was $37.6 million. The average college endowment was $905 million in 2021. The school spends $9,854 for each full-time student enrolled.

Tuition and Financial Aid at Northern State University

Tuition cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need.

Northern State University meets 71% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $12,222 a year.

Students in the class of 2022 who had taken out student loans graduated with an average of $28,048 of debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2023-2024 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2022

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at Northern State University.

Based on this information, is Northern State University the school for you? Remember, the best school for one person may not be the right school for another! So ask yourself: Is Northern State University a good school for you?

If Northern State University seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

---

Still Looking for Schools?

Choose one of the options below to learn more about Northern State University:

Admissions

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

Northern State University Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to take a data science look at your chances of getting accepted at some of the most selective colleges and universities in the U.S.

Where is Northern State University Located?

Northern State University is located in the small town setting of Aberdeen, South Dakota.

If you are interested in seeing Northern State University for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take Highway 12 to Aberdeen, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Aberdeen Municipal.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what Northern State University and Aberdeen are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in South Dakota?

See a full list of colleges in South Dakota and save your favorites to your college list.