A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at USD are mostly White with a small Hispanic population. The school has very low racial diversity. 15% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
85%
|
| Black |
3%
|
| Hispanic |
3%
|
| Asian |
1%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
2%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
3%
|
| International |
2%
|
| Race Unknown |
0%
|
There are 38% more female students than male students enrolled at University of South Dakota with a gender ratio of 16% women to 12% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, USD has a significantly lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is not inclusive of females.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
12%
|
| Women |
16%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
1,166
|
| Women |
1,607
|
USD serves a low number of students outside of South Dakota, with 53 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
53%
|
| Out of State |
41%
|
| Foreign |
6%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
28% 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 | 16.5% |
| Part time Undergrads | 20.4% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=219471 IPEDS survey data for University of South Dakota.
Last updated February 24, 2025