Augustana University
Augustana University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Augustana University Featured Rankings
- #3 Best Christian Colleges in South Dakota
- #4 Best Private Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #4 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in South Dakota
- #5 Best Small Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #7 Best Colleges in South Dakota
- #8 South Dakota's Best Online Master's Degrees
About Augustana University
According to Wikipedia, Augustana University is a private Lutheran university in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The university identifies 1860 as the year of its founding, the same as its Rock Island, Illinois, Swedish-heritage sister school, Augustana College. It derives its name from the Confessio Augustana, or Augsburg Confession, a foundational document of Lutheranism. Until September 2015, the university was known as Augustana College.
Augustana University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,330 | 68% | 86% | 73% | 1260 | 24 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Augustana University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $41,768 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $19,685 |
| 30K - 48K | $19,040 |
| 48K - 75K | $20,783 |
| 75K - 110K | $22,666 |
| 110K+ | $25,885 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Augustana University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Augustana University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $61,271 a year, and 95% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Augustana University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 2,547 | 2,204 | 343 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Augustana University?
Augustana University is located at 2001 S Summit Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57197-0001.
How Safe is Augustana University?
Like every college that receives federal student aid, Augustana University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Augustana University has a violent crime rate of 0.17% and a property crime rate of 0.33%. Sioux Falls has a violent crime rate of 0.53% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 2.93%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Augustana University Known For?
Augustana University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Sociology
- Biology
- Nursing
- Literature
- Physics
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Religious Studies
- Business
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Medical
- Economics
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Philosophy
Augustana University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Augustana University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Augustana University ranks #873 in the U.S. and #2938 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesAugustana University ranks #951 in the U.S. and #4066 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesAugustana University ranks #962 in the U.S. and #2449 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesAugustana University ranks #1114 in the U.S. and #3343 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesAugustana University ranks #1280 in the U.S. and #5131 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesAugustana University ranks #1341 in the U.S. and #4298 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesAugustana University ranks #1375 in the U.S. and #5590 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesAugustana University ranks #1380 in the U.S. and #3639 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesAugustana University ranks #1450 in the U.S. and #6164 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesAugustana University ranks #1605 in the U.S. and #7178 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesAugustana University ranks #1687 in the U.S. and #6076 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesAugustana University ranks #1688 in the U.S. and #6265 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesAugustana University ranks #1696 in the U.S. and #6301 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesAugustana University ranks #1818 in the U.S. and #6258 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesAugustana University ranks #1909 in the U.S. and #8195 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesAugustana University ranks #2035 in the U.S. and #7542 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesAugustana University ranks #2113 in the U.S. and #8269 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesAugustana University ranks #2164 in the U.S. and #9908 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesAugustana University ranks #3020 in the U.S. and #9749 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesWho Are Augustana University's Most Influential Alumni?
Augustana University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Nursing, Social Work, and Sociology. Here are some of Augustana University's most famous alumni:
