Southwest Minnesota State University

www.smsu.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$8,840

2024 Average Net Price

$15,547

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

62.2%

2,811 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

8,214

24.9% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

44.2%

149 Graduates

About

Southwest Minnesota State University is a higher education institution located in Lyon County, MN. In 2024, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Southwest Minnesota State University were General Education (100 degrees awarded), General Business Administration & Management (43 degrees), and Physical Education Teaching & Coaching (10 degrees).

In 2024, 601 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Southwest Minnesota State University. 67.9% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 32.1% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (449 degrees), 11 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (41 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Southwest Minnesota State University is $8,840, which is $−15,160 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Southwest Minnesota State University is $8,840, which is $15,160 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $15,547.

In 2024, 24% of undergraduate students attending Southwest Minnesota State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 15% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$8,840

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Southwest Minnesota State University was $8,840. The cost of tuition at Southwest Minnesota State University is $−15,160 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$15,547

2024 Value

4.77%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Southwest Minnesota State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $15,547. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Southwest Minnesota State University grew by 4.77%.

This chart compares the average net price of Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$10,666

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Southwest Minnesota State University was of $10,666 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 15.2% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

24%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

15%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

24% of undergraduate students at Southwest Minnesota State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2023, when 24% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Southwest Minnesota State University received 2,811 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.88% annual growth. Out of those 2,811 applicants, 1,748 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 62.2% acceptance rate.

There were 8,214 students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University in 2024. 1% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Southwest Minnesota State University has an overall enrollment yield of 22.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

62.2%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

1,748

Accepted Out of 2,811

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Southwest Minnesota State University was 62.2% (1,748 admissions from 2,811 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 68.9%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 6.88%, while admissions declined by 3.59%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2022)

Scores Submitted (2022)

1% of enrolled first-time students at Southwest Minnesota State University in 2022 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Southwest Minnesota State University had a total enrollment of 8,214 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Southwest Minnesota State University is 2,044 students and the part-time enrollment is 6,170. This means that 24.9% of students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Southwest Minnesota State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 76.2% White, 5.95% Hispanic or Latino, 3.52% Black or African American, 3.31% Two or More Races, 1.94% Asian, 0.243% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0852% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (47.1%), followed by White Male (23.1%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.05%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (59.1%), followed by White Male (20.5%) and Black or African American Male (1.89%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

24.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Southwest Minnesota State University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 8,214 students. The full-time enrollment at Southwest Minnesota State University is 2,044 and the part-time enrollment is 6,170. This means that 24.9% of students enrolled at Southwest Minnesota State University are enrolled full-time compared with 67.1% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

74%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Southwest Minnesota State University was 74%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Southwest Minnesota State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Southwest Minnesota State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
6,262 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
489 enrolled students
Black or African American
289 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Southwest Minnesota State University is 76.2% White, 5.95% Hispanic or Latino, 3.52% Black or African American, 3.31% Two or More Races, 1.94% Asian, 0.243% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0852% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.6% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 555 students (6.76%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 215 more women than men received degrees from Southwest Minnesota State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Southwest Minnesota State University is white (449 degrees awarded). There were 11 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (41 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Southwest Minnesota State University is General Education (100 degrees awarded), followed by General Business Administration & Management (43 degrees) and Physical Education Teaching & Coaching (10 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Southwest Minnesota State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Education (217 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (37 degrees), and History (11 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southwest Minnesota State University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,548,969 people), Secondary school teachers (531,272 people), Education administrators (286,482 people), Special education teachers (207,341 people), and Other managers (198,105 people).

The most specialized majors at Southwest Minnesota State University in 2024 are Education (217 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (37 degrees), History (11 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (32 degrees), and Agriculture (11 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southwest Minnesota State University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Cardiovascular technologists and technicians, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at Southwest Minnesota State University are Education (217 degrees awarded), Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (37 degrees), History (11 degrees), Public Administration and Social Service (32 degrees), and Agriculture (11 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Southwest Minnesota State University are Elementary & secondary schools (2,914,025 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (354,119 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (254,975 people), Individual & family services (155,476 people), and Outpatient care centers (146,963 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Southwest Minnesota State University.

Most Common (2024)

Liberal Arts & Sciences
13 degrees awarded
Accounting
1 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common associates degree concentration at Southwest Minnesota State University was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 13 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Southwest Minnesota State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

193

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

408

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 193 degrees were awarded to men at Southwest Minnesota State University, which is 0.473 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (408).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Southwest Minnesota State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 30 degrees were awarded to men at Southwest Minnesota State University in General Education, which is 0.349 times less than the 86 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 86 degrees were awarded to men at Southwest Minnesota State University in General Education, which is 2.87 times more than the 30 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

27%

100% Completion Time

40%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 27% of students graduating from Southwest Minnesota State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 40% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 41% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
449 degrees awarded
Black or African American
41 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
34 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Southwest Minnesota State University is white (449 degrees awarded). There were 11 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (41 degrees).

0.666% of degree recipients (4 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
429 degrees awarded
White Female
428 degrees awarded
White Female
411 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Southwest Minnesota State University is white female (429 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (428 degrees).

Operations

Southwest Minnesota State University has an endowment valued at nearly $20.9M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 696k (3.32%) compared to the 9.2% average return (4.22M on 45.9M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2024, Southwest Minnesota State University had a total salary expenditure of 63.3M. Southwest Minnesota State University employs 48 Professors, 32 Associate professors and 32 Assistant professors. Most academics at Southwest Minnesota State University are Male Professor (26), Female Professor (22), and Female Assistant professor (20).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Southwest Minnesota State University are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 42 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 37 employees, and Service with 27 employees.

Endowment

$20.9M

2024 Endowment

14.8%

growth from 2023

Southwest Minnesota State University has an endowment valued at about $20.9M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Southwest Minnesota State University grew 14.8% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $24.9M lower than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Southwest Minnesota State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$29.4M

2024 Salaries

7.64%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Southwest Minnesota State University paid a median of $29.4M in salaries, which represents 46.5% of their overall expenditure ($63.3M) and a 7.64% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.63% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 0.37% decline between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$12.1M

Instructional Salaries

126

Number of Employees

In 2024, Southwest Minnesota State University paid a total of $12.1M to 126 employees working as instructors, which represents 41.1% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $965k (3.13%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Southwest Minnesota State University were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 42 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 37 employees, and Service with 27 employees.

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