University Facts

About SDSU

葫芦影业 is the state鈥檚 largest, most comprehensive higher- education institution. As South Dakota鈥檚 Morrill Act land-grant university, SDSU had a fall 2024 enrollment of 12,065, with students coming from 47 states and 77 countries. Students can choose from 88 majors, 37 specializations, 106 minors, 38 master鈥檚 degree programs, 16 Ph.D. programs and two professional doctorates. The university also offers courses at various off-campus sites as well as undergraduate and graduate programs online through the Office of Continuing and Distance Education.

Colleges
University Authorization

A public, land-grant institution, SDSU was founded in 1881, authorized by the Dakota Territorial Legislature and is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents. The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU was established and linked to the university in 1887 under the federal Hatch Act to conduct research that 鈥渃oncerns agriculture and the home.鈥 In 1914, SDSU Extension was added by the Smith-Lever Act to 鈥減rovide information to the people of the State.鈥 Both the Agricultural Experiment Station and SDSU Extension are administered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

Athletics

The SDSU Jackrabbits compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level in all sports, including the Football Championship Subdivision. Jackrabbits teams play in The Summit League, with the exception of football, wrestling and equestrian. SDSU is a member of the National Collegiate Equestrian Association, the Missouri Valley Football Conference and the Big XII Conference as an affiliate member for wrestling.

Community at a Glance

Named the 33rd safest college town by SafeWise (2022), Brookings (pop. 23,993) is just 55 miles north of Sioux Falls on Interstate 29, 200 miles from Minneapolis and 400 miles east of Rapid City and the Black Hills. Students from communities in Nebraska, North Dakota and Iowa also find SDSU within an easy day鈥檚 drive.

Students
Enrollment - Fall 2024

Total Enrollment - 12,065

Fall 2024 enrollment showed the incoming first-time freshmen class recorded an average high school GPA of 3.57, and 39.2% of class members who submitted ACT scores have a composite score of 24 or above.

Enrollment By Level
Undergraduate10,72889%
Graduate1,33711%
Total12,065100%
Gender
Female6,75356%
Male5,31044%
Not reported20%
Total12,065100%
Race/Ethnicity
U.S. nonresident8266.8%
Hispanic/Latino3583%
American Indian or Alaska Native1361.1%
Asian1581.3%
Black or African American1571.3%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander120.1%
White9,75880.9%
Two or more races2622.2%
Race and ethnicity unknown3983.3%
Total12,065100%
Residency
South Dakota residents6,68055%
Other states4,55938%
International8267%
Total12,065100%
Enrollment Breakdown - Fall 2024

A near-record class of first-time students 鈥 2,275 鈥 and record retention from students鈥 freshmen to sophomore year of 82.9% increased 葫芦影业鈥檚 fall 2023 enrollment to its highest number in five years at 11,505.

Enrollment by Area
Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences1,82715.1%
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences2,56221.2%
Education and Human Sciences1,75114.5%
Education and Human Sciences - Non- Degree Seeking1,51612.6%
Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering1,75614.6%
Natural Sciences7546.2%
Nursing1,36311.3%
Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions4894.1%
Graduate School[1]470.4%
Total11,505100%

Notes

Based on primary college 鈥 students with multiple majors will only be counted once in their primary college.
1 Graduate programs have been moved to the appropriate colleges.

Student General Information
General Information
Student : Faculty Ratio FY 202317 to 1
Graduate Student Assistants (Fall 2024)541
Retention Rate (Fall 2023 FT  Bachelor's Cohort)83.8%
Graduates - 2023鈥2024
Graduates By Degree Type
Associates of Science1054.3%
Bachelor's degrees1,88376.8%
Master's degree34514.1%
Doctor of Philosophy461.9%
Doctor of Pharmacy/Doctor of Nursing Practice732.9%
Total2,452100%

*Unduplicated by level. Includes summer, fall and spring graduates.

Financial Aid for New Students - 2023鈥2024
Full-time, First-year Students
Full-time, first-year students2,207
Percent receiving financial aid97.46%
Average award (including loans)$11,612
Percent receiving institutional scholarships92.25%
Average scholarship award$3,008
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
New recipients (Fall 2023)383
Total number of recipients (Fall 2023)1,263
Average Award
Graduate and undergraduate$12,083
Estimated Costs of Attendance - 2024鈥2025
Undergraduate, Resident (30 credits)
Tuition and fees$9,299
Room and board*$10,176
Undergraduate, Nonresident (30 credits)
Tuition and fees$12,809
Room and board*$10,176
Graduate, Resident (24 credits)
Tuition and fees$9,384
Graduate, Nonresident (24 credits)
Tuition and fees$16,918
Graduate Assistant (24 credits)
Tuition and fees$1,220

*Aligned to US Department of Education requirements

Faculty and Staff
Full-Time Equivalent Employees - 2024鈥2025
  • Faculty: 652.09
  • Administration: 70.34
  • Professional: 677.33
  • Support staff: 599.14
  • Total: 1,998.90
Rank of Faculty (Full Time, Permanent) - Fall 2024
  • Professor: 127
  • Associate professor: 110
  • Assistant professor: 145
  • Instructor: 68
  • Senior lecturer / lecturer: 87
  • Total: 537

*Includes professor of practice; associate and assistant professor of practice.

Alumni
Graduates
  • Total graduates (Through September 2024): 104,357
  • Alumni living in South Dakota: 44,218
  • Alumni living in U.S. but not South Dakota: 44,171
  • Alumni living out of USA: 1,295
Campus
Physical Plant - FY2025
  • Central campus location (maintained): 400.69 acres
  • Additional acres, including six research farms: 10,758.60 acres
  • Buildings: 163
  • Building space maintained: 4,257,026 sq. ft.
  • Replacement value of buildings: $1,398,407,806
  • Residence hall capacity (Fall 2024): 4,757 students
SDSU Foundation (Calendar Year 2023)

SDSU Foundation expenditures:

  • Expenditures to support university programs: $56,938,335
  • Expenditures per student FTE - Fall 2023: $6,195.68
Operating Budget Authority By Agency - FY2025

Operating Budget

  • University Proper: $272,298,931 (77.6%)
  • Agriculture Experiment Station: $57,502,427 (16.4%)
  • SDSU Extension: $21,125,151 (6%)
  • Total: $350,926,509 (100%)

 

Operating Budget Authority - FY2025
Operating Budget Breakdown
Instructional support$144,401,55241.2%
Research (including AES)$77,856,85322.2%
Public service (including SDSU Extension)$33,456,6729.5%
Institutional support$29,817,7538.5%
Operations and maintenance of plant$30,078,0298.6%
Scholarships and fellowships$5,022,1621.4%

Auxiliary enterprises

(Includes Res. Life, Food Service, Bookstore)

$30,293,4888.6%
Total$350,926,509100%
Operating Budget Authority By Source of Funds - FY2025
Source of Funds
State Funds$99,654,50228%
Student tuition and fees$104,382,04330%
Federal grants and contracts/federal appropriations$54,643,53016%
Room and board$20,599,0056%
Other funds including general sales of commodities and services$71,647,42920%
Total$350,926,509100%
Research

The Division of Research and Economic Development works closely with university researchers, business leaders and other sponsors to promote faculty expertise aimed at solving real-world problems in society and industry. The university is a leader in bioprocessing, agriculture and precision agriculture, remote sensing and life sciences.

Research and Economic Development Highlights
  • SDSU is aspiring to become an R1 university by 2031 to bolster the South Dakota economy for generations to come. R1 requires two distinct benchmarks: annual research expenditures of at least $50 million and 70 research-intensive doctorates granted annually, calculated using a three-year running average.
  • 268 doctoral-level students are conducting original research in one of the university鈥檚 16 degree programs.
  • Faculty provide scientific leadership in three state research centers: the Haarberg Center for Drug, Disease and Delivery Research; the Center for Biologics Research and Commercialization; and Biosystems Networks and Translational Research (BioSNTR). In addition, SDSU researchers play a key role in the South Dakota Biofilm Science and Engineering Center, the South Dakota Center for Electrochemical Energy Storage and the South Dakota Center for Understanding and Disrupting the Illicit Economy.
  • SDSU is also home to the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center, the Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence and the Ethel Austin Martin Program in Human Nutrition.
  • The POET Bioproducts Center, located in the Research Park at SDSU, brings the region鈥檚 leading bioprocessing scientists from SDSU and South Dakota Mines together with industry partners to scale up innovative biotechnologies to diversify South Dakota鈥檚 economy.
  • Precision agriculture, a focal point at SDSU, brings together researchers from computer science, statistics, engineering, remote sensing and agriculture, as well as industry partners, to increase the profitability and sustainability of agriculture in the region.
  • Undergraduate students are encouraged to get involved in research through the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Day, the South Dakota Legislative Poster Session and through the Journal of Undergraduate Research. Students in the Van D. and Barbara B. Fishback Honors College conduct original research as a part of their graduation requirements.
  • Total Research Expenditures 鈥 FY2024 $84,059,098 (13.5% increase from FY23)
SDSU Extension
SDSU Extension

As the outreach arm of 葫芦影业, SDSU Extension provides people across the state with research-based information that enriches their lives. SDSU Extension also meets the changing needs of South Dakotans with outreach services, engaging the community through one-on-one interactions, forums, workshops and 24/7 online access. Its core services and focus areas include agriculture, family wellness, community development and 4-H youth.

Faculty are located on the SDSU campus or at the West River Research and Extension facility in Rapid City. Field specialists offer statewide programming from one of eight regional centers located across South Dakota. At the community level, 4-H youth educators and family and community health educators work from county or tribal SDSU Extension offices.

SDSU Extension relies on technology to offer educational programs to citizens. Combined with traditional face-to-face methods of learning, citizens can access its online learning portal at .

SDSU Extension Operation Budget Authority, FY 2025

Operation Budget SDSU Extension:

  • State funds: $10,860,060 (51%)
  • Federal funds: $7,379,892 (35%)
  • Other/local funds: $2,885,199 (14%)
  • Total: $21,125,151 (100%)

SDSU Extension Stats:

  • Number of regional Extension centers: 8
  • Number of field specialists: 49.45 FTE / 53 positions
South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station
Agricultural Experiment Station

The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at 葫芦影业, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, conducts both applied and discovery research to improve the lives and well-being of farmers, landowners, community members, natural resource management specialists and livestock producers across the state and worldwide. 葫芦影业 scientists conduct research at nine campus-based units and seven strategically located research stations across the state, addressing the critical needs of the agricultural community. The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station focuses on practical solutions that directly benefit those in the field while also contributing to innovations in agricultural sciences.

  • Regenerative Livestock Systems (30%)
  • Regenerative Agronomic Systems (34%)
  • Natural Resources and Environmental Systems (17%)
  • Food Systems, Nutrition, Health and Well-Being (11%)
  • Family, Youth and Communities (8%)
Agricultural Experiment Station Operating Budget Authority, FY2025

Operating Budget of Agricultural Experiment Station:

  • State funds: $16,061,647 (28%)
  • Federal funds: $22,395,656 (39%)
  • Other / local funds: $19,045,124 (33%)
  • Total: $57,502,427 (100%)
South Dakota Board of Regents
Board of Regents
  • Nathan D. Lukkes, executive director and CEO
  • Tim Rave, president
  • Jeff Partridge, vice president
  • Douglas Morrison, secretary
  • Brock Brown
  • Judy Dittman
  • Randy Frederick
  • James Lochner
  • Randy Rasmussen
  • Pam Roberts
SDSU Executive Officers
Executive Officers
  • Barry H. Dunn, Ph.D., president.
  • Dennis Hedge, Pharm.D. provost and vice president for academic affairs.
  • Michaela Willis, Ph.D. vice President for student affairs and enrollment management.
  • Tracy Greene, J.D. vice president and general counsel, vice president, human resources.
  • Mike Holbeck, Ph.D. vice president for finance and budget.
  • David Overby, vice president for technology and security.
  • Daniel Scholl, D.V.M., Ph.D. vice president for research and economic development.
  • Karyn Weber, chief of staff.