USD vs. UW

Should I go to University of South Dakota or University of Wyoming? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USD or UW is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
University of South Dakota vs. University of Wyoming comparison
University of South Dakota University of Wyoming College 3 College 4
University of South Dakota University of Wyoming
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

USD UW
Location Vermillion, SD Laramie, WY
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 9,856 11,100
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #597 #331
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usd.edu uwyo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD UW
Tuition (In State) $7,773 $4,800
Tuition (Out of State) $11,283 $19,950
Room & Board $8,224 $11,610
Avg Net Price $18,378 $12,819
Avg Grant Aid $6,308 $8,942
% Receiving Grant Aid 79% 94%

Admission

USD UW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,480 5,797
Admitted 4,456 5,564
Acceptance Rate 99.5% 96%
Enrolled % 29.8% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 21/28
SAT Range 1020/1300 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 10, 2024

Academics

USD UW
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

USD UW
Graduation Rate 47% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,200 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $191

Diversity

USD UW
% Men 37% 46%
% Women 63% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 76%
% Black 3% 1%
% Hispanic 3% 7%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

USD UW
% In-State 54% 56%
% Out-of-State 43% 40%

Campus

USD UW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wyoming is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (11,100 students vs. 9,856 students)

USD vs. UW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or UW?

  • University of South Dakota is 61.9% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($7,773.00 vs. $4,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 76.8% higher at UW than University of South Dakota ($19,950.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wyoming than USD ($12,819 vs. $18,378)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 41.2% lower than costs at University of Wyoming ($8,224 vs. $11,610)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wyoming than University of South Dakota (94% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wyoming students is 41.8% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($8,942 vs. $6,308)

USD vs. UW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or UW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW or USD .

  • The average SAT score at University of Wyoming (1122) is 73 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming UW students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman UW students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than UW (96%)

USD vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or UW? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UW and USD.

  • The graduation rate at UW is higher than University of South Dakota (53% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Wyoming earn on average $3,200 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($51,400 vs. $48,200)
  • University of Wyoming students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($18,500 vs. $25,000)
  • UW graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($191 vs. $258)
  • More UW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 70%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/