by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending University of South Dakota, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
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Attendance costs at University of South Dakota spanned $23,544.00 ranging to $27,054.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: roughly $23,544.00 in-state against $27,054.00 for non-residents.
The blocks below show what you would pay with no aid, with average aid, and as a low-income student.
| Tuition and fees | $9,432.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,112.00 |
| Total cost | $23,544.00 |
| That is 22% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,544.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,564.00 |
| Net price | $18,980.00 |
| That is roughly at the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $23,544.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,501.00 |
| Net price | $14,043.00 |
| That is 27% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $12,942.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,112.00 |
| Total cost | $27,054.00 |
| That is 41% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,054.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$4,564.00 |
| Net price | $22,490.00 |
| That is 17% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,054.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$9,501.00 |
| Net price | $17,553.00 |
| That is 9% below the national average net price. | |
| Explore each piece on the tuition & fees page and living costs. |
Below, a full degree is projected forward at today’s cost. The detailed projections below compare a degree for a low-income aided student, an average-aid student, and a no-aid student. Loan figures amortise the projected total over ten years at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Freshman year | $14,043.00 | $18,980.00 | $23,544.00 |
| Senior year | $14,043.00 | $18,980.00 | $23,544.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $56,172.00 | $75,920.00 | $94,176.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $21,400.00 | $28,923.00 | $35,878.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $646.00 | $874.00 | $1,084.00 |
| Total amount paid | $77,572.00 | $104,843.00 | $130,054.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Freshman year | $14,043.00 | $18,980.00 | $23,544.00 |
| Senior year | $14,043.00 | $18,980.00 | $23,544.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $28,086.00 | $37,960.00 | $47,088.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $10,700.00 | $14,461.00 | $17,939.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $323.00 | $437.00 | $542.00 |
| Total amount paid | $38,786.00 | $52,421.00 | $65,027.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Freshman year | $17,553.00 | $22,490.00 | $27,054.00 |
| Senior year | $17,553.00 | $22,490.00 | $27,054.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $70,212.00 | $89,960.00 | $108,216.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $26,748.00 | $34,272.00 | $41,226.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $808.00 | $1,035.00 | $1,245.00 |
| Total amount paid | $96,960.00 | $124,232.00 | $149,442.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Freshman year | $17,553.00 | $22,490.00 | $27,054.00 |
| Senior year | $17,553.00 | $22,490.00 | $27,054.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $35,106.00 | $44,980.00 | $54,108.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $13,374.00 | $17,136.00 | $20,613.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $404.00 | $518.00 | $623.00 |
| Total amount paid | $48,480.00 | $62,116.00 | $74,721.00 |
| For the complete net-price picture, see the net-price section. |
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. This is the more honest cost figure for most families, since it accounts for institutional and federal aid.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $19,858.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $19,155.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. Here is the average net price for each family-income range:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $13,687.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $16,400.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,608.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,259.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,432.00 |
For a personalized estimate, try the University of South Dakota Net Price Calculator, or visit the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the financial aid page.
The median graduating debt at University of South Dakota comes to $17,500.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) burden category.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $3,500.00 |
| 25th | $6,379.00 |
| Median (50th) | $17,500.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $34,854.00 |
The 10th-to-90th-percentile spread is one signal of how variable debt outcomes are across the student body.
Dig deeper into debt on the student loan debt page.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The table below divides borrowers into three income tiers:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $17,500.00 |
| Middle income | $17,186.00 |
| High income | $17,614.00 |
Whether your parents attended college is associated with differences in median debt at graduation.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $17,121.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,024.00 |
Pell Grant eligibility is a useful proxy for low-income status among undergraduates. Pell vs non-Pell comparisons surface how debt breaks down by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at University of South Dakota stands at $3,250.00. The Department of Education flags this school for a Pell-debt-inequity pattern.
The Department of Education default-rate tier for University of South Dakota is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 4.3% |
For a sense of scale, Stafford disbursements at University of South Dakota come to $809,026,362.00 covering 32,807 disbursements.
Veterans and active-duty students can access dedicated federal education aid including the GI Bill and Tuition Assistance from the Department of Defense.
| GI Bill recipients | 126 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $6,930.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 66 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $2,986.00 |
Explore GI Bill and military aid in detail on the college veterans page.
Use the figures above as a launch point, then think through University of South Dakota, keep these questions in mind:
Each page below covers one part of paying for college in more detail:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.