Southwest Minnesota State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Southwest Minnesota State University?

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

11:1
Student to faculty ratio
16
Average class size
25%
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.

SMSU has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 11:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
85
10-19
92
20-29
62
30-39
11
40-49
2
50-99
5

Honors Programs

Southwest Minnesota 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 SMSU'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 Southwest Minnesota State University:

67%
First-year retention rate
25%
4-year grad rate
40%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Southwest Minnesota 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 Administration and Management, General
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Elementary Education and Teaching
Special Education and Teaching, General
4
17.2
30.4
43.6
56.8
70

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 7
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 4
  • Agricultural and Extension Education Services 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 13
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 38
  • Accounting 15
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 9
  • Finance, General 8
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 6
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 6
  • Radio and Television 6
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 9
  • Computer and Information Sciences, Other 0
Culinary
  • Culinary Science/Culinology 4
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 24
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 15
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 15
  • Education, General 15
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 7
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 4
  • Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor 4
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 3
  • Art Teacher Education 3
  • Speech Teacher Education 2
  • Music Teacher Education 1
  • Chemistry Teacher Education 0
  • Biology Teacher Education 0
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 0
  • Health Teacher Education 0
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 5
  • General Literature 0
  • Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 70
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 0
History
  • History, General 8
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 14
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 9
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 1
  • Computational and Applied Mathematics 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 3
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 33
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 5
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 1
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 0
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 14
  • Community Psychology 6
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 14
Social Sciences
  • Sociology, General 2
  • Political Science and Government, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 11
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 8
  • Music, General 1

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