# Northern State University (NSU)

Public college in Aberdeen, SD. IPEDS ID 219259.
Source page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-state-university · Data: https://educationguide.com/data/colleges/northern-state-university.json · Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score

## Key numbers
- Acceptance rate: 93% (Fall 2024, College Scorecard)
- Average net price after grants: $15,812 per year (AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25)
- Graduation rate (6 years): 49%; beats 42% of SD colleges and 40% nationwide
- Median earnings 10 years after starting: $47,618; beats 33% of SD colleges and 33% nationwide
- Median debt at graduation: $15,750

## Net price by family income (per year, after grants)
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,762 |
| 30-48k | $12,087 |
| 48-75k | $15,293 |
| 75-110k | $18,372 |
| 110k+ | $17,933 |

Average after grants for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, in-state. Negative values mean grants exceed cost.

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
Graduates took 4.48 years on average (32% finished in 4 years; Fall 2017 entrants, IPEDS). Earnings gain = $47,618 (median earnings of former students 10 years after starting college (College Scorecard)) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SD (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $10,762 | $48,214 | 4.1 years |
| 30-48k | $12,087 | $54,150 | 4.6 years |
| 48-75k | $15,293 | $68,513 | 5.8 years |
| 75-110k | $18,372 | $82,307 | 7.0 years |
| 110k+ | $17,933 | $80,340 | 6.8 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Sticker price
- Cost of attendance: $22,077 in-state; about $25,179 out-of-state
- Tuition and fees: $8,845 in-state, $11,947 out-of-state
- Housing and meals: $10,300; books: $1,200

## Admissions
- SAT reading & writing: 490–590; SAT math: 490–570; ACT: 18–24 (25th–75th percentile, Fall 2024)
- Fall 2023: 1,082 applicants, 1,004 admitted, 319 enrolled; test scores considered but not required
- Fall 2024: acceptance 93%, ACT 18–24 (College Scorecard)
- Fall 2023: acceptance 93%, ACT 18–24 (IPEDS Admissions)

## Majors (33 bachelor's majors)
| Major | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | not reported | $70,545 | $25,300 |
| Accounting | $51,239 | $67,072 | $29,816 |
| Business Administration | $43,667 | $56,571 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $40,123 | $53,484 | $24,500 |
| Sociology | not reported | $50,765 | not reported |
| Finance | $47,781 | $48,324 | not reported |
| Psychology | not reported | $45,921 | not reported |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $46,042 | $44,147 | $24,242 |
| Information Technology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Special Education | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| German | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Spanish / French / Romance Languages | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| English | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Writing | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Liberal Arts / General Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Biochemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Mathematics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International / Global Studies | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Chemistry | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Criminal Justice | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Economics | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Political Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Theatre | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Studio Art | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Music | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Medical Laboratory Science | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| International Business | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Management Information Systems | not reported | not reported | not reported |
| Marketing | $45,891 | not reported | $26,000 |
| History | not reported | not reported | not reported |

## Major to career
- Business Administration → Management analyst: median wage not reported (metro), $83,620 (SD), $101,860 (U.S.)
- Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher: median wage not reported (metro), $50,130 (SD), $63,970 (U.S.)

## Sources and years
- Net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; cost of attendance: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; tuition: AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25; earnings: Treasury AY2009-10, AY2010-11 pooled cohort measured in CY2020, CY2021, inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars; debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
- Major earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).