Northern State University
Northern State 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
Northern State University Featured Rankings
- #4 Best Online Associate Degree Programs in South Dakota
- #4 Best Public Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #6 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in South Dakota
- #6 Best Small Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #6 Most Affordable Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #7 South Dakota's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #8 Best Colleges in South Dakota
- #9 South Dakota's Best Online Master's Degrees
About Northern State University
According to Wikipedia, Northern State University is a public university in Aberdeen, South Dakota. NSU is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents and offers 45 bachelor's degrees, 53 minors, six associate degrees, 16 pre-professional programs, 23 certificates and 10 graduate degrees.
Northern State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,082 | 93% | 77% | 52% | 1070 | 21 |
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 Northern State University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $9,824 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $13,929 |
| 30K - 48K | $11,740 |
| 48K - 75K | $13,310 |
| 75K - 110K | $16,293 |
| 110K+ | $17,316 |
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 Northern State University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Northern State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $51,006 a year, and 93% 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.
Northern State 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 5,717 | 4,602 | 1,115 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Northern State University?
Northern State University is located at 1200 S Jay St, Aberdeen, SD 57401-7198.
How Safe is Northern State University?
Northern State University reported 0.3 violent and property offenses on campus per 1,000 students in 2024, fewer than most midsize residential campuses. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Northern State University has a violent crime rate of 0.03% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Aberdeen has a violent crime rate of 0.27% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 1.42%. 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 Northern State University Known For?
Northern State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Social Work
- Education
- Psychology
- Political Science
- Biology
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Medical
- Computer Science
Northern State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Northern State 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
Northern State University ranks #897 in the U.S. and #3893 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1035 in the U.S. and #3101 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1156 in the U.S. and #4475 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1241 in the U.S. and #2965 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1278 in the U.S. and #5274 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1289 in the U.S. and #3374 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1355 in the U.S. and #5784 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1632 in the U.S. and #6664 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1711 in the U.S. and #5184 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1721 in the U.S. and #3355 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesNorthern State University ranks #1935 in the U.S. and #6270 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesNorthern State University ranks #2051 in the U.S. and #7125 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesNorthern State University ranks #2172 in the U.S. and #8450 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesWho Are Northern State University's Most Influential Alumni?
Northern State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, Literature, and Anthropology. Here are some of Northern State University's most famous alumni:
