by our College Data Analytics TeamFind out more about how Northern State University Graduate School ranks, how diverse it is, what graduate degree programs are offered, and other essential facts below. Click on any of the following links to jump to that section on this page.
College Factual began producing its annual Best Quality Schools rankings as a means to assist students in finding top-quality graduate colleges and universities that are invested in preparing their students for their future endeavors.These rankings are based on components such as post-graduation earnings of students, accumulated student debt of graduates, how much in demand the school is, and faculty and student diversity.
Out of a field of 4,630 colleges and universities considered in the 2026 Best Master’s Degree Schools in the U.S. ranking, Northern State University landed the #1,654 spot.NSU also ranked #10 for Best Master’s Degree Schools in South Dakota.
### Best Graduate Schools RankingIn College Factual’s 2026 Best Graduate Schools in the United States ranking, NSU took the #1,654 spot out of 4,630 schools. NSU also ranked #10 for Best Graduate Schools in South Dakota.
During the most recent year for which data is available, 539 graduate students attended Northern State University.In order to come up with a feel for how diverse the school is, College Factual analyzed the demographics of these students.Here is what we found.
Women make up 70.7% of the total graduate student body at NSU while men make up 29.3%. These percentages may be different for specific degree programs.
About 6.7% of the graduate students who attend NSU are from a racial-ethnic minority group*.NSU is popular with people from outside the United States, too. International students make up 1.3% of the graduate student population.The following chart shows the distribution of racial-ethnic groups at the school. If you click on it, you’ll find more detailed information.
Data on the average tuition and fees for full-time graduate students at the school is not available.
The typical graduate student at NSU who borrowed carries a median debt of $26,143.
Graduate students who earn their master’s degree at NSU enter the workforce with an average early-career salary of $52,954.
Early-career pay varies by field of study. The following table shows the graduate fields of study at NSU with the highest average early-career salaries for recent graduates.
| Graduate Field of Study | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|
| Student Counseling | $54,761 |
| Curriculum & Instruction | $51,852 |
| Health & Physical Education | $40,724 |
Northern State University is a public institution located in Aberdeen, South Dakota.Aberdeen is a great place for students who enjoy small town life. Get more details about the location of Northern State University.
Contact details for NSU are given below.
| Contact Details | |
|---|---|
| Address: | 1200 S Jay St, Aberdeen, SD 57401-7198 |
| Phone: | 605-626-3011 |
| Website: | www.northern.edu |
| Facebook: | www.facebook.com/pages/Northern-State-University/112538332202097 |
| Twitter: | twitter.com/NorthernStateU |
84.6% of the graduate students at NSU took at least one online course.Approximately 75.1% of grad students took all their classes online during that same time period.
Listed here are the degree programs in which the school awarded master’s degrees.
| Masters Degree Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics | 10 | — |
| Curriculum & Instruction | 17 | $51,852 |
| Educational Administration | 10 | — |
| Finance & Financial Management | 6 | — |
| Health & Physical Education | 15 | — |
| Instructional Media Design | 3 | — |
| Mental & Social Health Services | 5 | — |
| Special Education | 3 | — |
| Student Counseling | 2 | $54,761 |
| Teacher Education Subject Specific | 15 | — |
The programs below are those in which the school awarded a graduate certificate.
| Graduate Certificate Program | Annual Graduates | Avg Early-Career Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration | 2 | — |
Footnotes
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.