Simpson College vs. USD

Should I go to Simpson College or University of South Dakota? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Simpson College or USD 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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Simpson College vs. University of South Dakota comparison
Simpson College University of South Dakota College 3 College 4
Simpson College University of South Dakota
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Overview

Simpson College USD
Location Indianola, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,163 9,868
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #407 #576
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Simpson College USD
Tuition (In State) $45,306 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $45,306 $11,283
Room & Board $10,088 $9,060
Avg Net Price $23,637 $18,466
Avg Grant Aid $35,240 $5,580
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 81%

Admission

Simpson College USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,646 5,349
Admitted 1,463 5,293
Acceptance Rate 88.9% 99%
Enrolled % 23.4% 25.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/25
SAT Range 890/1280 1110/1330
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 15, 2025

Academics

Simpson College USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Simpson College USD
Graduation Rate 69% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

Simpson College USD
% Men 1% 12%
% Women 1% 16%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

Simpson College USD
% In-State 72% 53%
% Out-of-State 27% 41%

Campus

Simpson College USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (9,868 students vs. 1,163 students)

Simpson College vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or USD?

  • Simpson College is 482.9% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($45,306.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 301.5% higher at Simpson College than University of South Dakota ($45,306.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Simpson College ($18,466 vs. $23,637)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 11.3% lower than costs at Simpson College ($9,060 vs. $10,088)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 531.5% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($35,240 vs. $5,580)

Simpson College vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 55 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than Simpson College (88.9%)

Simpson College vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson College or USD? 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 USD and Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than University of South Dakota (69% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $200 more per year than Simpson College graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $48,000)
  • University of South Dakota students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • USD graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 70%)

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