South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs. UW

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

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Location Rapid City, SD Laramie, WY
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 2,492 10,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #422 #334
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sdsmt.edu uwyo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Tuition (In State) $7,800 $4,980
Tuition (Out of State) $12,200 $20,760
Room & Board $8,800 $13,340
Avg Net Price $20,243 $13,299
Avg Grant Aid $4,746 $8,761
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 89%

Admission

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,539 5,644
Admitted 1,312 5,498
Acceptance Rate 85.3% 97.4%
Enrolled % 37.8% 26.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 21/28
SAT Range 1130/1320 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2026 Aug 10, 2026

Academics

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (76%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Graduation Rate 48% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $60,000 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,500 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $284 $191

Diversity

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
% Men 9% 10%
% Women 4% 14%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 76%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 2% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 7%

Students

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
% In-State 38% 56%
% Out-of-State 61% 40%

Campus

 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology UW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wyoming is larger than than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology based on total student enrollment (10,913 students vs. 2,492 students)

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs. UW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology or UW?

  • South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is 56.6% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($7,800.00 vs. $4,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.2% higher at UW than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($20,760.00 vs. $12,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wyoming than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($13,299 vs. $20,243)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology are 51.6% lower than costs at University of Wyoming ($8,800 vs. $13,340)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wyoming than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (89% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Wyoming students is 84.6% larger than aid received South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($8,761 vs. $4,746)

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs. UW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology or UW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology .

  • The average SAT score at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1200) is 78 points higher than at UW (1122)
  • Incoming South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UW (25)
  • Accepted freshman South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UW (3.53)
  • UW has a higher acceptance rate (97.4%) than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (85.3%)

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology or UW? 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 UW and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

  • The graduation rate at UW is higher than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (53% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology earn on average $8,600 more per year than UW graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $51,400)
  • University of Wyoming students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates. ($18,500 vs. $27,500)
  • UW graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates. ($191 vs. $284)
  • More South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UW students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 75%)

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