Southwest Minnesota State University vs. UW-Platteville

Should I go to Southwest Minnesota State University or University of Wisconsin Platteville? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Southwest Minnesota State University or UW-Platteville 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. University of Wisconsin Platteville comparison
Southwest Minnesota State University University of Wisconsin Platteville College 3 College 4
University of Wisconsin Platteville
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Overview

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
Location Marshall, MN Platteville, WI
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 6,930 6,486
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #948 #711
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website smsu.edu uwplatt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
Tuition (In State) $8,840 $6,418
Tuition (Out of State) $8,840 $15,356
Room & Board $9,258 $8,072
Avg Net Price $15,004 $15,595
Avg Grant Aid $7,389 $4,866
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 84%

Admission

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,558 5,354
Admitted 1,427 4,574
Acceptance Rate 91.6% 85.4%
Enrolled % 22.8% 31.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.21 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 20/26
SAT Range 935/1102
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 18, 2025

Academics

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (39%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Communication (4%)
  • Biology (4%)
  • Engineering (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Agriculture (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
Graduation Rate 39% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 $49,600
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,678 $24,255
Median Loan Payment $224 $250

Diversity

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
% Men 38% 62%
% Women 62% 38%
Racial Diversity Low Extremely Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 90%
% Black 5% 1%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Southwest Minnesota State University UW-Platteville
% In-State 74% 76%
% Out-of-State 20% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is larger than than UW-Platteville based on total student enrollment (6,930 students vs. 6,486 students)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. UW-Platteville Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Southwest Minnesota State University or UW-Platteville?

  • Southwest Minnesota State University is 37.7% more expensive to attend than UW-Platteville for in-state tuition ($8,840.00 vs. $6,418.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 73.7% higher at UW-Platteville than Southwest Minnesota State University ($15,356.00 vs. $8,840.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Southwest Minnesota State University than UW-Platteville ($15,004 vs. $15,595)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Platteville are 14.7% lower than costs at Southwest Minnesota State University ($8,072 vs. $9,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southwest Minnesota State University than University of Wisconsin Platteville (94% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Southwest Minnesota State University students is 51.8% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Platteville ($7,389 vs. $4,866)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. UW-Platteville Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Platteville (1090) is 82 points higher than at Southwest Minnesota State University (1008)
  • Incoming UW-Platteville students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (22)
  • Accepted freshman UW-Platteville students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at Southwest Minnesota State University (3.21)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University has a higher acceptance rate (91.6%) than UW-Platteville (85.4%)

Southwest Minnesota State University vs. UW-Platteville Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Southwest Minnesota State University or UW-Platteville? 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-Platteville and Southwest Minnesota State University.

  • The graduation rate at UW-Platteville is higher than Southwest Minnesota State University (52% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Platteville earn on average $8,400 more per year than Southwest Minnesota State University graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $41,200)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University students graduate with a $2,577 lower median federal student loan debt than UW-Platteville graduates. ($21,678 vs. $24,255)
  • Southwest Minnesota State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than UW-Platteville graduates. ($224 vs. $250)
  • More UW-Platteville graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Southwest Minnesota State University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 66%)

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