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Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Marshall, MN
Population 25,000
Website http://www.smsu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 100 (24%) very dry
Sunshine Hours 2,620 (53%)
Days Without Precipitation 260 (73%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 1,845
Men / Women 36% / 64%
From State 76%
From Region 14%
Athletes 28.8%

Racial/Ethnic

White 67%
Black 8%
Hispanic 8%
International 8%
Mixed 4%
Asian 2%
Native American 1%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 45.0% 45.0% 2012 Men: 39.0% 39.0% 2013 Men: 43.3% 43.3% 2014 Men: 50.5% 50.5% 2015 Men: 47.0% 47.0% 2016 Men: 47.1% 47.1% 2017 Men: 43.4% 43.4% 2018 Men: 45.0% 45.0% 2019 Men: 46.5% 46.5% 2020 Men: 45.3% 45.3% 2021 Men: 46.7% 46.7% 2022 Men: 38.5% 38.5% 2023 Men: 44.1% 44.1% 2024 Men: 40.6% 40.6%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2012 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2013 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2014 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2015 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2016 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2017 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2020 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2021 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Native: 1.5% 1.5% 2024 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2011 Asian: 1.5% 1.5% 2012 Asian: 3.4% 3.4% 2013 Asian: 2.8% 2.8% 2014 Asian: 1.6% 1.6% 2015 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2016 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2017 Asian: 3.0% 3.0% 2018 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2019 Asian: 2.9% 2.9% 2020 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2021 Asian: 2.3% 2.3% 2022 Asian: 1.7% 1.7% 2023 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2024 Asian: 2.7% 2.7% 2011 Black: 4.8% 4.8% 2012 Black: 3.2% 3.2% 2013 Black: 4.0% 4.0% 2014 Black: 3.4% 3.4% 2015 Black: 2.6% 2.6% 2016 Black: 4.7% 4.7% 2017 Black: 4.4% 4.4% 2018 Black: 2.5% 2.5% 2019 Black: 3.8% 3.8% 2020 Black: 3.9% 3.9% 2021 Black: 5.6% 5.6% 2022 Black: 9.0% 9.0% 2023 Black: 7.0% 7.0% 2024 Black: 9.8% 9.8% 2011 Hispanic: 2.2% 2.2% 2012 Hispanic: 1.2% 1.2% 2013 Hispanic: 2.6% 2.6% 2014 Hispanic: 2.0% 2.0% 2015 Hispanic: 2.9% 2.9% 2016 Hispanic: 2.8% 2.8% 2017 Hispanic: 2.2% 2.2% 2018 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2019 Hispanic: 5.0% 5.0% 2020 Hispanic: 3.9% 3.9% 2021 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2022 Hispanic: 4.6% 4.6% 2023 Hispanic: 4.3% 4.3% 2024 Hispanic: 7.1% 7.1% 2011 White: 78.8% 78.8% 2012 White: 74.7% 74.7% 2013 White: 75.3% 75.3% 2014 White: 75.4% 75.4% 2015 White: 86.0% 86.0% 2016 White: 83.2% 83.2% 2017 White: 86.4% 86.4% 2018 White: 86.0% 86.0% 2019 White: 78.3% 78.3% 2020 White: 80.0% 80.0% 2021 White: 74.8% 74.8% 2022 White: 63.4% 63.4% 2023 White: 74.8% 74.8% 2024 White: 71.5% 71.5% 2011 International: 11.5% 11.5% 2012 International: 14.6% 14.6% 2013 International: 12.4% 12.4% 2014 International: 13.8% 13.8% 2015 International: 3.1% 3.1% 2016 International: 3.4% 3.4% 2017 International: 1.7% 1.7% 2018 International: 1.3% 1.3% 2019 International: 2.0% 2.0% 2020 International: 4.1% 4.1% 2021 International: 8.8% 8.8% 2022 International: 13.2% 13.2% 2023 International: 4.6% 4.6% 2024 International: 1.2% 1.2%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Native: 1.3% 1.3% 2022 Native: 1.0% 1.0% 2023 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2024 Native: 0.8% 0.8% 2025 Native: 0.7% 0.7% 2020 Asian: 2.2% 2.2% 2021 Asian: 2.6% 2.6% 2022 Asian: 2.3% 2.3% 2023 Asian: 2.1% 2.1% 2024 Asian: 2.3% 2.3% 2025 Asian: 2.4% 2.4% 2020 Black: 7.3% 7.3% 2021 Black: 9.2% 9.2% 2022 Black: 8.6% 8.6% 2023 Black: 8.0% 8.0% 2024 Black: 7.2% 7.2% 2025 Black: 8.4% 8.4% 2020 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2021 Hispanic: 6.2% 6.2% 2022 Hispanic: 7.1% 7.1% 2023 Hispanic: 7.6% 7.6% 2024 Hispanic: 8.0% 8.0% 2025 Hispanic: 8.1% 8.1% 2020 White: 72.3% 72.3% 2021 White: 68.8% 68.8% 2022 White: 66.0% 66.0% 2023 White: 68.6% 68.6% 2024 White: 69.4% 69.4% 2025 White: 67.2% 67.2% 2020 International: 7.4% 7.4% 2021 International: 6.9% 6.9% 2022 International: 9.6% 9.6% 2023 International: 7.4% 7.4% 2024 International: 7.0% 7.0% 2025 International: 7.6% 7.6%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Southwest Minnesota State University 471 29% / 71% 4% $58,801 74 97%
Computer Science 15 — 60% / 40% 73% $86,756 96 —
Computer and Information Sciences — — — — $75,664 90 —
Chemistry 2 +1 50% / 50% 0% — — —
Computational and Applied Mathematics 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Biology 7 — 0% / 100% 0% $46,497 47 100%
Agribusiness 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $56,042 69 100%
Agricultural Education — — — — $59,098 74 —
Agronomy and Crop Science 9 — 67% / 33% 11% $54,061 65 —
Culinary Science 5 — 80% / 20% 0% $51,389 60 —
Environmental Science 3 +1 100% / 0% 0% $49,540 55 —
Sustainable Agriculture — — — — $54,163 66 —
Clinical Laboratory Science 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Exercise Science 34 — 59% / 41% 0% $50,351 57 100%
Nursing 58 — 21% / 79% 0% $86,138 95 95%
Accounting 15 +1 33% / 67% 0% $69,584 86 96%
Business Administration 44 — 41% / 59% 16% $64,026 80 97%
Finance 11 +1 55% / 45% 9% $63,689 80 92%
Hospitality Management 2 — 100% / 0% 50% $51,766 61 100%
Marketing 12 +6 50% / 50% 0% $55,958 69 92%
Communication Studies 7 — 14% / 86% 0% $48,766 53 —
Community Psychology 4 +2 0% / 100% 0% $51,494 60 —
English 6 — 0% / 100% 0% $47,284 49 —
General Studies 8 — 50% / 50% 0% $51,603 60 —
History 12 — 67% / 33% 0% $48,775 53 —
Mass Communication 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $48,843 53 —
Philosophy 2 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Political Science 1 +1 100% / 0% 0% $54,945 67 —
Professional Writing 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $50,391 57 100%
Psychology 23 — 22% / 78% 0% $51,821 61 97%
Social Work 38 — 11% / 89% 0% $48,633 53 100%
Sociology 6 — 0% / 100% 0% $49,818 56 —
Agricultural Teacher Education 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $47,223 49 —
Biology Teacher Education 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Chemistry Teacher Education 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Early Childhood Education 25 — 0% / 100% 0% $48,040 51 98%
Early Childhood Special Education 7 +1 0% / 100% 0% $65,883 82 100%
Education 8 — 0% / 100% 0% $60,282 76 98%
Elementary Education 33 +2 18% / 82% 0% $48,040 51 99%
English Education 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $47,238 49 100%
Health Teacher Education 1 +2 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Mathematics Teacher Education 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
Physical Education 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $50,351 57 100%
Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $47,238 49 100%
Special Education 16 — 6% / 94% 0% $65,883 82 100%
Speech Teacher Education — — — — $47,223 49 —
Teaching English as a Second Language 3 +1 0% / 100% 0% $47,741 51 —
Art 8 — 0% / 100% 0% $41,808 33 —
Art Education 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $47,238 49 100%
Music 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $42,171 34 —
Music Teacher Education 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $47,223 49 —
Theater 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $39,778 27 —
Criminal Justice 15 — 27% / 73% 0% $54,184 66 91%

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $10,885
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $11,023
Est. In-State Cost $14,081
Est. Out-of-State Cost $14,259
ROI Percentile 74th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 74%
4-Year Graduation Rate 30%
6-Year Graduation Rate 45%
Transfer-Out Rate 36%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 39.5% 39.5% 2012 Graduated: 41.1% 41.1% 2013 Graduated: 42.8% 42.8% 2014 Graduated: 43.2% 43.2% 2015 Graduated: 39.3% 39.3% 2016 Graduated: 49.8% 49.8% 2017 Graduated: 44.9% 44.9% 2018 Graduated: 45.8% 45.8% 2019 Graduated: 49.7% 49.7% 2020 Graduated: 48.1% 48.1% 2021 Graduated: 47.7% 47.7% 2022 Graduated: 40.8% 40.8% 2023 Graduated: 44.1% 44.1% 2024 Graduated: 45.1% 45.1%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 39.7% 39.7% 2012 Men: 30.0% 30.0% 2013 Men: 37.3% 37.3% 2014 Men: 36.4% 36.4% 2015 Men: 36.4% 36.4% 2016 Men: 39.9% 39.9% 2017 Men: 41.8% 41.8% 2018 Men: 37.2% 37.2% 2019 Men: 40.6% 40.6% 2020 Men: 38.6% 38.6% 2021 Men: 42.3% 42.3% 2022 Men: 35.1% 35.1% 2023 Men: 37.5% 37.5% 2024 Men: 37.9% 37.9% 2011 Women: 39.3% 39.3% 2012 Women: 51.6% 51.6% 2013 Women: 47.9% 47.9% 2014 Women: 49.6% 49.6% 2015 Women: 41.8% 41.8% 2016 Women: 57.6% 57.6% 2017 Women: 47.5% 47.5% 2018 Women: 51.4% 51.4% 2019 Women: 56.6% 56.6% 2020 Women: 57.8% 57.8% 2021 Women: 52.5% 52.5% 2022 Women: 45.8% 45.8% 2023 Women: 49.2% 49.2% 2024 Women: 51.1% 51.1%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 White: 45.2% 45.2% 2012 White: 47.1% 47.1% 2013 White: 47.6% 47.6% 2014 White: 50.4% 50.4% 2015 White: 41.3% 41.3% 2016 White: 53.4% 53.4% 2017 White: 48.0% 48.0% 2018 White: 48.7% 48.7% 2019 White: 53.6% 53.6% 2020 White: 50.9% 50.9% 2021 White: 54.8% 54.8% 2022 White: 51.2% 51.2% 2023 White: 50.4% 50.4% 2024 White: 53.5% 53.5% 2011 International: 22.2% 22.2% 2012 International: 21.9% 21.9% 2013 International: 30.6% 30.6% 2014 International: 27.5% 27.5% 2015 International: 28.6% 28.6% 2016 International: 35.3% 35.3% 2017 International: 42.9% 42.9% 2018 International: 33.3% 33.3% 2019 International: 44.4% 44.4% 2020 International: 57.9% 57.9% 2021 International: 30.8% 30.8% 2022 International: 20.6% 20.6% 2023 International: 20.0% 20.0% 2024 International: 25.0% 25.0%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 23.6% 111 22% / 78% 0% $49,738 56 99%
Education 22.9% 108 13% / 87% 0% $52,916 63 99%
Health Sciences 19.7% 93 35% / 65% 0% $72,912 88 97%
Business & Economics 17.8% 84 44% / 56% 11% $63,530 80 96%
Agriculture & Food Science 4.0% 19 68% / 32% 5% $52,853 63 100%
Arts 3.4% 16 12% / 88% 0% $43,420 38 100%
Computer Science 3.2% 15 60% / 40% 73% $86,756 96 —
Professional 3.2% 15 27% / 73% 0% $54,184 66 91%
Life & Natural Sciences 1.5% 7 0% / 100% 0% $46,497 47 100%
Physical Sciences & Math 0.6% 3 33% / 67% 0% — — —

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 91%
Yield (Unbound) 21%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 91% 91% 91%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 80.2% 80.2% 2012 Acceptance: 70.4% 70.4% 2013 Acceptance: 65.5% 65.5% 2014 Acceptance: 66.9% 66.9% 2015 Acceptance: 64.0% 64.0% 2016 Acceptance: 54.2% 54.2% 2017 Acceptance: 61.6% 61.6% 2018 Acceptance: 60.3% 60.3% 2019 Acceptance: 63.9% 63.9% 2020 Acceptance: 80.6% 80.6% 2021 Acceptance: 91.0% 91.0% 2022 Acceptance: 91.6% 91.6% 2023 Acceptance: 68.9% 68.9% 2024 Acceptance: 62.2% 62.2% 2011 Yield: 34.8% 34.8% 2012 Yield: 36.0% 36.0% 2013 Yield: 33.3% 33.3% 2014 Yield: 37.9% 37.9% 2015 Yield: 34.8% 34.8% 2016 Yield: 48.5% 48.5% 2017 Yield: 26.3% 26.3% 2018 Yield: 27.1% 27.1% 2019 Yield: 20.5% 20.5% 2020 Yield: 23.3% 23.3% 2021 Yield: 27.7% 27.7% 2022 Yield: 22.8% 22.8% 2023 Yield: 20.3% 20.3% 2024 Yield: 22.2% 22.2%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 1,464 1,464 2012 Applicants: 1,917 1,917 2013 Applicants: 2,076 2,076 2014 Applicants: 1,839 1,839 2015 Applicants: 2,013 2,013 2016 Applicants: 1,884 1,884 2017 Applicants: 2,051 2,051 2018 Applicants: 2,133 2,133 2019 Applicants: 2,264 2,264 2020 Applicants: 1,856 1,856 2021 Applicants: 1,672 1,672 2022 Applicants: 1,558 1,558 2023 Applicants: 2,630 2,630 2024 Applicants: 2,811 2,811 2011 Admitted: 1,174 1,174 2012 Admitted: 1,349 1,349 2013 Admitted: 1,359 1,359 2014 Admitted: 1,231 1,231 2015 Admitted: 1,289 1,289 2016 Admitted: 1,021 1,021 2017 Admitted: 1,264 1,264 2018 Admitted: 1,287 1,287 2019 Admitted: 1,447 1,447 2020 Admitted: 1,496 1,496 2021 Admitted: 1,522 1,522 2022 Admitted: 1,427 1,427 2023 Admitted: 1,813 1,813 2024 Admitted: 1,748 1,748 2011 Enrolled: 409 409 2012 Enrolled: 485 485 2013 Enrolled: 453 453 2014 Enrolled: 467 467 2015 Enrolled: 449 449 2016 Enrolled: 495 495 2017 Enrolled: 332 332 2018 Enrolled: 349 349 2019 Enrolled: 297 297 2020 Enrolled: 349 349 2021 Enrolled: 421 421 2022 Enrolled: 326 326 2023 Enrolled: 368 368 2024 Enrolled: 388 388

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 40%
SAT Range 920 – 1140
SAT Math Range 450 – 560
SAT RW Range 470 – 580

SAT Composite

25th 75th
600 800 1000 1200 1400 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2012 25th: 860 860 2014 25th: 845 845 2015 25th: 750 750 2016 25th: 765 765 2018 25th: 865 865 2019 25th: 907 907 2020 25th: 935 935 2012 75th: 1065 1065 2014 75th: 1005 1005 2015 75th: 1070 1070 2016 75th: 1075 1075 2018 75th: 1030 1030 2019 75th: 1087 1087 2020 75th: 1102 1102

SAT Math

25th 75th
300 400 500 600 700 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2012 25th: 420 420 2014 25th: 405 405 2015 25th: 380 380 2016 25th: 420 420 2018 25th: 440 440 2019 25th: 450 450 2020 25th: 490 490 2012 75th: 540 540 2014 75th: 500 500 2015 75th: 530 530 2016 75th: 600 600 2018 75th: 520 520 2019 75th: 545 545 2020 75th: 540 540

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
300 400 500 600 700 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2012 25th: 440 440 2014 25th: 440 440 2015 25th: 370 370 2016 25th: 345 345 2018 25th: 425 425 2019 25th: 457 457 2020 25th: 445 445 2012 75th: 525 525 2014 75th: 505 505 2015 75th: 540 540 2016 75th: 475 475 2018 75th: 510 510 2019 75th: 542 542 2020 75th: 562 562

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 96.0% 96.0% 2012 Submitted: 97.0% 97.0% 2013 Submitted: 96.0% 96.0% 2014 Submitted: 93.0% 93.0% 2015 Submitted: 90.0% 90.0% 2016 Submitted: 87.0% 87.0% 2017 Submitted: 91.0% 91.0% 2018 Submitted: 99.0% 99.0% 2019 Submitted: 98.0% 98.0% 2020 Submitted: 86.0% 86.0% 2022 Submitted: 55.0% 55.0% 2023 Submitted: 51.0% 51.0% 2024 Submitted: 40.0% 40.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.