Augustana vs. NSU

Should I go to Augustana College or Northern State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Augustana or NSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Augustana College vs. Northern State University comparison
Augustana College Northern State University College 3 College 4
Augustana College
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Overview

Augustana NSU
Location Rock Island, IL Aberdeen, SD
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 2,349 3,344
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #301 #820
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website augustana.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Augustana NSU
Tuition (In State) $47,766 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $47,766 $10,718
Room & Board $11,782 $9,150
Avg Net Price $24,660 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $34,946 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

Augustana NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,965 1,322
Admitted 4,264 1,033
Acceptance Rate 61.2% 78.1%
Enrolled % 13.9% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 18/24
SAT Range 1010/1250 800/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Augustana NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Augustana NSU
Graduation Rate 76% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,100 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $279 $252

Diversity

Augustana NSU
% Men 45% 37%
% Women 55% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 83%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Augustana NSU
% In-State 65% 69%
% Out-of-State 17% 30%

Campus

Augustana NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Northern State University is larger than than Augustana based on total student enrollment (3,344 students vs. 2,349 students)

Augustana vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Augustana or NSU?

  • Augustana College is 527.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($47,766.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 345.7% higher at Augustana than Northern State University ($47,766.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northern State University than Augustana ($17,264 vs. $24,660)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 28.8% lower than costs at Augustana College ($9,150 vs. $11,782)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Augustana College than Northern State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Augustana College students is 511.5% larger than aid received Northern State University ($34,946 vs. $5,715)

Augustana vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Augustana or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Augustana .

  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Augustana (3.3)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.1%) than Augustana (61.2%)

Augustana vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Augustana or NSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NSU and Augustana.

  • The graduation rate at Augustana is higher than Northern State University (76% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Augustana College earn on average $17,700 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($55,100 vs. $37,400)
  • Northern State University students graduate with a $2,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Augustana graduates. ($24,399 vs. $27,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Augustana graduates. ($252 vs. $279)
  • More Augustana graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 63%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/