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Montana State University vs University of South Dakota

Odds, test scores, cost, aid and graduation rates, side by side from each school's own Common Data Set. Add more schools

Getting in

Acceptance rate99.4%98.8%
Early decision rateNo EDNo ED
SAT middle 50%1070–12901145–1260
ACT middle 50%21–2719–25
Applicant reports on our site111

Cost and aid

Tuition$6,731 in-state$7,773 in-state
Tuition, out-of-state$31,216$11,283
Food and housing$14,580$9,508
Sticker price per year$48,013$22,450
Average need-based grant$8,115$6,597
Average % of need met65%60.5%

Outcomes

First-year retention81.8%79.3%
6-year graduation rate59.2%60.2%
Undergraduates15,1427,619

Best value in each row is highlighted. Sticker price uses out-of-state tuition for public universities and leaves out books, travel and aid. "—" means the school left the item blank in its Common Data Set.

Montana State University or University of South Dakota?

Is Montana State University harder to get into than University of South Dakota?

They are about equally selective: Montana State University admitted 99.4% of first-year applicants (2025-26) and University of South Dakota admitted 98.8% (2024-25).

What SAT scores do Montana State University and University of South Dakota students have?

The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1070–1290 at Montana State University and 1145–1260 at University of South Dakota.

Which is cheaper, Montana State University or University of South Dakota?

Before aid, University of South Dakota costs about $22,450 a year in tuition, fees, food and housing, against $48,013 at Montana State University (out-of-state tuition for public universities). The average need-based grant is $8,115 at Montana State University and $6,597 at University of South Dakota.

Does Montana State University or University of South Dakota have a higher graduation rate?

59.2% of Montana State University students graduate within six years, compared with 60.2% at University of South Dakota.

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