Southwest Minnesota State University vs. EWU

Should I go to Southwest Minnesota State University or Eastern Washington University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Southwest Minnesota State University or EWU 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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Southwest Minnesota State University vs. Eastern Washington University comparison
Southwest Minnesota State University Eastern Washington University College 3 College 4
Eastern Washington University
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Overview

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Location Marshall, MN Cheney, WA
Setting Rural Fringe Town Fringe
Enrollment 6,930 10,910
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #948 #858
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smsu.edu ewu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Tuition (In State) $8,840 $7,104
Tuition (Out of State) $8,840 $25,494
Room & Board $9,258 $13,739
Avg Net Price $15,004 $12,827
Avg Grant Aid $7,389 $9,200
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 92%

Admission

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,558 4,666
Admitted 1,427 4,485
Acceptance Rate 91.6% 96.1%
Enrolled % 22.8% 30.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.29
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 16/23
SAT Range 935/1102 880/1090
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 18, 2025 Sep 10, 2024

Academics

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Graduation Rate 39% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,678 $20,818
Median Loan Payment $224 $215

Diversity

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
% Men 38% 39%
% Women 62% 61%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 80% 67%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 14%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
% In-State 74% 94%
% Out-of-State 20% 5%

Campus

Southwest Minnesota State University EWU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Washington University is larger than than Southwest Minnesota State University based on total student enrollment (10,910 students vs. 6,930 students)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. EWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Minnesota State University or EWU?

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is 24.4% more expensive to attend than EWU for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $7,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 188.4% higher at EWU than Southwest Minnesota State University ($25,494.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Washington University than Southwest Minnesota State University ($12,827 vs. $15,004)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southwest Minnesota State University are 48.4% lower than costs at Eastern Washington University ($9,258 vs. $13,739)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwest Minnesota State University than Eastern Washington University (94% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Washington University students is 24.5% larger than aid received Southwest Minnesota State University ($9,200 vs. $7,389)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. EWU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Southwest Minnesota State University or EWU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between EWU or Southwest Minnesota State University .

  • The average SAT score at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008) is 38 points higher than at EWU (970)
  • Incoming Southwest Minnesota State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at EWU (21)
  • Accepted freshman EWU students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.29) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (3.21)
  • EWU has a higher acceptance rate (96.1%) than Southwest Minnesota State University (91.6%)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. EWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Southwest Minnesota State University or EWU? 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 EWU and Southwest Minnesota State University.

  • The graduation rate at EWU is higher than Southwest Minnesota State University (46% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Washington University earn on average $4,100 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $41,200)
  • Eastern Washington University students graduate with a $860 lower median federal student loan debt than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($20,818 vs. $21,678)
  • EWU graduates are paying $9 less per month on federal student loans than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates. ($215 vs. $224)
  • More Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former EWU students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 60%)

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