A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at NSU are mostly White with a small Foreign Resident population. The school has very low racial diversity. 17% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
83%
|
| Black |
2%
|
| Hispanic |
4%
|
| Asian |
2%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
3%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
2%
|
| International |
4%
|
| Race Unknown |
0%
|
There are 72% more female students than male students enrolled at Northern State University with a gender ratio of 63% women to 37% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, NSU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
37%
|
| Women |
63%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,228
|
| Women |
2,116
|
NSU serves a low number of students outside of South Dakota, with 69 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
69%
|
| Out of State |
30%
|
| Foreign |
1%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
31% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 14.1% |
| Part time Undergrads | 19% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=219259 IPEDS survey data for Northern State University.