South Dakota State University is a public land- grant research university in Brookings. South Dakota State University accepts English Language proficiency exams like IELTS, TOEFL etc. SDSU offers 128 Undergraduate Courses,64 Graduate courses, 35 PhD Courses and 29 Graduate Certificate courses. University of South Dakota cost is 6285 USD (520083 INR). SDSU has two intake capacities: fall and spring. In fall 2022, coming from 83 countries, 11331 students were enrolled in the university. Companies like Accenture, Amazon, Facebook offer employment to the Graduates from SDSU. The average salary of a Mechanical Engineer from SDSU is USD 66565/ year (INR 5489009), whereas the salary of a Software Engineer is USD 91000 (INR 7503941).

Why to Choose South Dakota State University

Reasons for choosing South Dakota State University are mentioned below

  • Academic programs of SDSU are consistently recognised. Program diversity and potential for future success is a huge bonus for SDSU. 
  • In the Medical lab field, SDSU Graduates can earn a minimum average salary of 56000 USD(46,18,628 INR)
  • Civil and Engineering Graduates of SDSU have a 100% placement rate earning an average salary of 50000 USD(41,23,775 INR) and more
  • Students at SDSU can have the access of local areas of Brookings very easily. They can engage themselves in Dakota Nature Park, Brookings Art Festival etc
  • More than 240 student organisations are there in SDSU 

South Dakota State University Rankings

University of South Dakota Ranking

  • #901-1000 ARWU University Rankings, 2022
  • #1172 in Global Universities by US News and World Report, 2023
  • #299-440 in National Universities by US News and World Report, 2023
  • #251-300 in 2022 QS Ranking

South Dakota State University Acceptance Rate

South Dakota State University acceptance rate is 89%. Students having a GPA of 3.0 or above, have more chances of getting admission into SDSU.

  • SAT score ranges from 980 to 1220
  • ACT score ranges from 19 to 25.
  • 38.4% of students submitted ACT scores of 24 or higher
  • 9816 Undergraduate students were enrolled
  • 1191 Graduate Students were enrolled
  • 324 Professional Students were enrolled

South Dakota State University Courses and Fees

MS Courses of SDSU consist of 30 credit hours for two years. The cost of per credit hour for non-resident students is 654 USD (53,954 INR). Yearly tuition fees of some popular courses of SDSU are tabulated below.

Course Name Annual Course Fees
M.S. in Chemistry 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
M.S. in Computer Science 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
Master in Data Science 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
M.S. in Mechanical Engineering 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
M.S. in Mathematics 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
MS in Electrical Engineering 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
MS in Biology 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
M.Arch in Architecture 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
M.S. in Economics 9810 USD(8,09,268 INR)
BSN Nursing 11283 USD(9,30,381 INR)
BS in Animal Science 11283 USD(9,30,381 INR)
BS in Economics 11283 USD(9,30,381 INR)
BS in Medical Laboratory Science 11283 USD(9,30,381 INR)
BS in Psychology 11283 USD(9,30,381 INR)
BS in Mechanical Engineering 12220 USD(10,08,132 INR)

South Dakota State University Application Deadline

Application deadline for South Dakota State University is tabulated below

Intake Season Deadline
Fall Intake 15th June (for UG) and 15th April (for Graduate)
Spring Intake 1st November(for UG) and 15th October (for graduate)

South Dakota State University Application Process

Application fees of some of the South Dakota State University Degrees are mentioned below

  • Undergraduate Application fee: USD 20(INR 1649) non refundable
  • Graduate Application Fee: USD 35(INR 2886) non refundable

Documents Required

Below is the list of documents required for admission in Undergraduate and Graduate courses in Univ South Dakota

  • Complete application form
  • GPA equivalent of 2.6 and above for Undergraduate courses and 3.0 for Graduate Courses
  • Official academic transcript
  • TOEFL/ IELTS scores
  • Financial Proofs
  • ACT/ SAT scores(For Undergraduate courses)
  • Immunisation reports
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Letter of recommendation
  • Resume
  • GRE

South Dakota State University Admission Requirements

International students should meet all the admission requirements before applying to any undergraduate or graduate course in South Dakota State University. Course wise score requirements for SDSU are mentioned below

Undergraduate and Postgraduate Score Requirements

Table below portrays the required scores for Undergraduate and Graduate courses at SDSU

Exam Name Requirement
ACT(for Undergraduate Courses) 18
SAT(for Undergraduate Courses) 970
GRE(for Graduate Courses) 300
GMAT(for MBA) 510

South Dakota State University English Language Proficiency Requirements

SDSU accepts the below mentioned English Language Proficiency Exams for admission of International Students

Exam Name Requirement
IELTS 5.5
TOEFL 61
Duolingo English Test 90

South Dakota State University Cost of Attendance

Here is the discussion about the living cost in Univ South Dakota.

Particulars Building name Cost



















Traditional Hall
Single: Abbott, Caldwell, Spencer, Thorne USD 3812 (3,14,541 INR)
Single: Ben Reifel, Hyde, Honors, Schultz USD 3776 (3,11,570 INR)
Single – Binnewies, Pierson, Young USD 2,885.00(2,38,051 INR)
Single – Brown USD 3,249.00(2,68,086 INR)
Single – Hansen, Waneta USD 2,824.00(2,33,018 INR)
Single – Mathews USD 3,086.00(2,54,636 INR)
Designed Single – Abbott, Spencer, Thorne USD 3,283.00(2,70,891 INR)
Double: Abbott, Caldwell, Spencer, Thorne USD 3,050.00(2,51,666 INR)
Double: Ben Reifel, Hyde, Honors, Schultz USD 3,197.00(2,63,795 INR)
Double – Binnewies, Pierson, Young USD 2,163.00(1,78,476 INR)
Double – Brown USD 2,530.00(2,08,759 INR)
Double – Hansen, Waneta USD 1,963.00(1,61,974 INR)
Double – Mathews USD 2,311.00(1,90,688 INR)
Triple: Ben Reifel USD 2,629.00(2,16,927 INR)





University Apartments
Southeast 1 bedroom/month USD 953 (78,635 INR)
Southeast 2 bedroom/month USD 735 (60,647 INR)
Southeast 3 bedroom/month USD 647 (53,386 INR)
Southeast 4 bedroom/month USD 593 (48,930 INR)
Meadows North & Meadows South USD 3,049.00(2,51,583 INR)
Skylight/Huggins 2&3 Bedrooms/Month USD 484.00(39,936 INR)
Skylight 1.5 Bedroom/Month USD 640.00(52,808 INR)
Garden Square 2 Bedroom/Month USD 495.00(40,844 INR)
Garden Square 3 Bedroom/Month USD 536.00(44,227 INR)
Southeast Town House/Month USD 742.00(61,225 INR)
Thornbers Studios/Month – 1303 7th St. USD 381.00(31,437 INR)
Thornbers Studios/Month – 1311 7th St. USD 411.00(33,913 INR)
Thornbers Studios/Month – 710 13th Ave. USD 218.00(17,987 INR)
Sundal Studio/Month USD 411.00(33,913 INR)
Sundal 1 Bedroom/Month USD 484.00(39,936 INR)
Sundal 2 Bedroom/Month USD 693.00(57,181 INR)
Meal Plans for South Dakota State University are tabulated below
Meal Plan Cost
Premier All Access: Unlimited Meals at Larsons Commons plus USD 70 flex per Semester USD 2000 (INR 165027)
100 Block: 100 meals at Larsons Commons plus USD 845 flex per semester USD 1561 (INR 128803)
50 Block: 50 meals at Larsons Commons plus USD 1230 per semester USD 1561 (INR 128803)
Silver Flex USD 1561 (INR 128803)
Bronze Flex USD 1341 (INR 110650)
West Flex USD 780 (INR 64360)
Other indirect cost of South Dakota State University are tabulated below.
Expense Type Cost
Textbooks & Supplies USD 1,200/year (99,016 INR)
Transportation Expenses USD 2,309/year (1,90,523 INR)
Personal Expenses USD 2,374/year (1,95,887 INR)

South Dakota State University ExtraCurricular

Students at the South Dakota State University get united in various extracurricular activities. They are

  • Fraternity and Sorority life
  • Hobo day
  • State a Thon
  • University Programme Council
  • Jacks Club Hub
  • Student Org Handbook

South Dakota State University Diversity

Students diversity of South Dakota State University is tabulated below.

Gender Diversity

Male and female students of SDSU are tabulated below

Particulars Number of Students Percentage
Male Students 4951 43.7%
Female Students 6379 56.3%
Total 11331 100%

Ethnic Diversity

Here are the details of how students of SDSU are ethnically diversified.

Ethnicity Number of Students Percentage
Non resident Alien 621 5.5%
Hispanic/ Latino 307 2.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 146 1.3%
Asian 152 1.3%
Black or African American 181 1.6%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 6 0.1%
White 9442 83.3%
Two or More races’ 242 2.1%
Race and Ethnicity Unknown 234 2.1%
South Dakota Residents 6224 55%
Other States 4486 40%
International 621 5%

South Dakota State University Scholarships

There are various scholarships that SDSU has to offer to the students. Details of South Dakota State University Financial aid for International Students are mentioned below.

Scholarship Name Eligibility Award
Dian and Harlan Stai Honors Scholarship
  • 30 or higher ACT composite or SAT equivalent score or
  • GPA of 3.9 or higher
  • Extensive Leadership and extracurricular involvement
USD 5000/ Year(INR 412725) renewable up to four years for a total of USD 20000(INR 1650900)
Elton D. Schafer Scholarship
  • 30 or higher ACT composite or SAT score or
  • GPA of 3.9 or higher
  • Extensive Leadership and extracurricular involvement
USD 2000-5000 per year (INR 165090- 412725) for four years up to USD 4000- 10000 (INR 330180- 825450)
Freedom Scholarship
  • Resident of South Dakota
  • Financial need
  • Full time Bachelor Degree programme enrollment
USD 3000- 5000 per year(INR 247635- 412725) renewable but the amount will be changed as per the need of the student
Wokini Scholarships
  • Tribally enrolled or
  • Have descendancy through a federally recognised tribe in the US including Alaska Natives
USD 5000 per year(INR 412725) renewable for five years for a total of USD 25000(INR 2063625)
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
  • ACT composite score of 24 or
  • SAT score of 1180
  • Cumulative HS GPA of at least 3.0
USD 6500 total(INR 536542) distributed over four years
Air Force ROTC Scholarship
  • ACT composite score of 26 or
  • SAT score of 1240
  • Cumulative HS GPA of at least 3.0
100% tuition and Fees for entire Undergrad USD 900 (INR 74290) yearly for textbooks USD 300(INR 24763)monthly allowance

South Dakota State University Internships

There are numerous internship opportunities available for the students of SDSU. Especially Mechanical Engineering students get a better chance for it. Daktronics, 3M Medical products are some of the companies that give internship opportunities to the students.

Placement Offered by the South Dakota State University

Graduates from this university earn an average salary of USD 44900(INR 3591486). Here are the details of some other professions.

Profession Average Salary
Mechanical Engineer USD 66565(INR 5496718)
Project Manager USD 74340(INR 6138751)
Software Engineer USD 91000(INR 7514479)
Manufacturing Engineer USD 71641(INR 5915877)
Graphic Designer USD 42356(INR 3497618)
Electrical Engineer USD 69125(INR 5708114)
Project Engineer USD 78099(INR 6449157)

Notable Alumni

Some of the notable alumni of South Dakota State University are mentioned below

Alumni Name Profession
Theodore Schultz(BS in Agriculture 1927) Nobel Laureate for Economics
Gene Amdahl(BS in Engineering, 1948) Inventor of the IBM 360
Tom Daschle(BA in Political Science, 1969) Majority Leader of US Senate
Mike Rounds(BS in Political Science, 1976) Current US Senator
Kristi Noem(BA in Political Science, 2012) Current Governor of South Dakota
Stephen Censky(BS in Agriculture, 1981) 13th United States Deputy Secretary of Agriculture
Adam Vinatieri(BS, 1996) NFL Kicker, 4 times Super Bowl Champion
Jim Langer (BS in Economics, 1970) Pro Football Hall of Famer, 2 times Super Bowl Champion

South Dakota State University vs Washington State University vs Georgia Tech University vs Arizona State University

Particulars South Dakota State University Washington State University Georgia Tech University Arizona State University
Ranking #1172 in US News ranking #443 QS 88(QS) 219(QS)
Programs 189+ 137 130+ 400+
Acceptance Rate 89% 72 15.96 83
Test Score
  • Duolingo 90
  • TOEFL 80+
Tuition Cost
  • Average tuition cost 12809 USD per year(10,57,733 INR)
  • Average Tuition fees for UG Programme: 2178896 INR
  • Average tuition fees for PG Programme: 1120667 INR
In State USD 11764 Out-of State USD 32876 In State USD 10158 Out- State USD 29438
Placement (Average Package)
  • Mechanical Engineer 66565 USD (5489009 INR) Engineer is USD 91000 (INR 7503941).
  • Bachelor of Arts 83000 USD(6862220 INR)
  • Bachelor of Science 58000 USD(4795286 INR)
  • Doctorate 122000 USD(10086636 INR)
USD 88196(72,81,064 INR) USD c55749(46,02,386 INR)

University of South Dakota Location is Brookings. It is among the high acceptance universities with an acceptance rate of 89%. International students can consider the above mentioned details while applying to South Dakota State University.

FAQs

Ques: Is South Dakota State University a good university?

Ans: South Dakota State University is ranked #1172 in the US News and World Report ranking 2023. It clearly portrays how good South Dakota State University is.

Ques: Is GRE required for South Dakota State University?

Ans: GRE is not required for a student who has completed an undergraduate degree from SDSU. Students who have a graduate degree from any university.

Ques: Is SDSU hard to get into?

Ans: The acceptance rate of SDSU is 89% which means if 100 students are applying, 89 students get admission after meeting prerequisite qualifications.

Ques: What GPA do you need for South Dakota State University?

Ans: Minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to get admission to South Dakota State University.

Ques: What is the GRE code for South Dakota State University?

Ans: GRE code for South Dakota State University is 6653.

Ques: Is GRE waived for Dakota State University?

Ans: Yes it can be waived off if a student has a cumulative GPA of 3.25 out of a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited US College or University.

Ques: What is the minimum IELTS requirement for South Dakota State University?

Ans: The minimum IELTS requirement for South Dakota State University is 5.5.

Ques: How much is the application fee for South Dakota University for international students?

Ans: South Dakota State University Undergraduate Application fee is USD 20(INR 1649) non refundable and Graduate Application Fee is USD 35(INR 2886) non refundable. These fees are for international students.