Southwest Minnesota State University
Academics

Back to Profile

How strong are the academics at Southwest Minnesota State University?

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

16:1
Student to faculty ratio
17
Average class size
29%
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 16:1. 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
98
20-29
55
30-39
28
40-49
4
50-99
3

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:

73%
First-year retention rate
29%
4-year grad rate
46%
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
Social Work
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
Business Administration and Management, General
Elementary Education and Teaching
18.6
26.28
33.96
41.64
49.32
57

The Full List

Major Graduates
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science And Related Fields
  • Agronomy and Crop Science 5
  • Agribusiness/Agricultural Business Operations 4
  • Agricultural and Extension Education Services 1
  • Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 6
  • Biochemistry 0
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 29
  • Accounting 13
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 7
  • Finance, General 6
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 3
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 2
  • Finance, General 1
Communication
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 7
  • Radio and Television 5
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 18
  • Computer and Information Sciences, Other 2
  • Computer and Information Sciences, Other 1
Culinary
  • Culinary Science/Culinology 3
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 25
  • Special Education and Teaching, General 17
  • Education, General 16
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 15
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 5
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 4
  • Health Teacher Education 4
  • English/Language Arts Teacher Education 2
  • Art Teacher Education 2
  • Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor 1
  • Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language/ESL Language Instructor 1
  • Education/Teaching of Individuals in Early Childhood Special Education Programs 1
  • Agricultural Teacher Education 0
  • Speech Teacher Education 0
  • Chemistry Teacher Education 0
  • Biology Teacher Education 0
  • Music Teacher Education 0
  • Mathematics Teacher Education 0
  • Health Teacher Education 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 6
  • Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 1
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 57
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 0
History
  • History, General 11
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 13
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 6
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 0
  • Computational and Applied Mathematics 0
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Science 2
Parks
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 29
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 7
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 1
  • Philosophy 0
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 0
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 16
  • Community Psychology 4
  • Community Psychology 3
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 31
  • Social Work 1
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 5
  • Sociology, General 4
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Art/Art Studies, General 6
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 3
  • Music, General 0
Mistakes were made
(But not by you!)

These are the top 10 mistakes people make when searching for colleges

Top Ten Mistakes

CollegeIQ® relies on data from government and private resources. Always confer with the individual college or university for the most recent data. Learn more about our data and methodology.

© 2026 Whittier Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service