South Dakota State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at South Dakota State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

17:1
Student to faculty ratio
42%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

SDSU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 17:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Honors Programs

South Dakota State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on SDSU's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at South Dakota State University:

83%
First-year retention rate
42%
4-year grad rate
59%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are South Dakota State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Business/Managerial Economics
Animal Sciences, General
Psychology, General
Mechanical Engineering
28.4
80.72
133.04
185.36
237.68
290

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Animal Sciences, General 86
  • Agriculture, General 45
  • Agriculture, General 45
  • AGRICULTURAL / ANIMAL / PLANT / VETERINARY SCIENCE AND RELATED FIELDS 45
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 31
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 28
  • Agricultural Mechanization, General 17
  • Agricultural Production Operations, General 15
  • Dairy Science 12
  • Range Science and Management 5
  • Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations, General 5
  • Agricultural Economics 1
  • Food Science 1
Architecture And Related Services
  • Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology 15
  • Landscape Architecture 8
  • City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning 1
Area
  • American Indian/Native American Studies 2
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biomedical Sciences, General 63
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 16
  • Biochemistry 6
  • Biotechnology 5
  • Microbiology, General 5
Business
  • Business/Managerial Economics 86
  • Construction Management, General 24
  • Organizational Leadership 9
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 7
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 5
  • Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management 4
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 22
  • Advertising 16
  • Journalism 11
  • Public Relations/Image Management 5
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 12
Education
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 67
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 13
  • Music Teacher Education 12
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 9
  • Family and Consumer Sciences/Home Economics Teacher Education 6
  • Chemistry Teacher Education 1
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 0
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 0
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 72
  • Civil Engineering, General 47
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 12
  • Agricultural Engineering 10
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering/Industrial Management 12
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician 6
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 11
Family And Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences
  • Human Development and Family Studies, General 56
  • Consumer Economics 15
  • Human Nutrition 12
  • Apparel and Textile Marketing Management 3
  • Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General 0
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 12
  • German Language and Literature 1
  • French Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 290
  • Pharmaceutics and Drug Design 60
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 27
  • Community Health and Preventive Medicine 19
  • Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist 4
History
  • History, General 17
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 33
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Statistics, General 28
  • Mathematics, General 16
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 11
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 11
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 11
  • Geography and Environmental Studies 7
  • International/Globalization Studies 5
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Wildlife, Fish and Wildlands Science and Management 37
  • Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services 16
  • Environmental Studies 13
  • Natural Resources/Conservation, General 10
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 52
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management, General 23
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 2
  • Physics, General 1
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 81
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 19
  • Sociology, General 19
  • Geographic Information Science and Cartography 5
  • Criminology 5
  • Economics, General 4
Transportation And Materials Moving
  • Flight Instructor 29
  • Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace Science and Technology, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Interior Design 19
  • Graphic Design 12
  • Music, General 6
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 5
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 3

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