SUNY-ESF vs. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Should I go to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SUNY-ESF or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Colorado School of Mines CU Boulder Cornell UB NDSU RPI Binghamton University South Dakota State University Nebraska UVM State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY Stony Brook
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry vs. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology comparison
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry South Dakota School of Mines and Technology College 3 College 4
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Location Syracuse, NY Rapid City, SD
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 2,737 2,492
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #255 #422
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website esf.edu sdsmt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,800
Tuition (Out of State) $18,900 $12,200
Room & Board $17,780 $8,800
Avg Net Price $19,644 $20,243
Avg Grant Aid $8,675 $4,746
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 83%

Admission

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,541 1,539
Admitted 2,937 1,312
Acceptance Rate 82.9% 85.3%
Enrolled % 13.6% 37.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.57
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 23/29
SAT Range 1130/1300 1130/1320
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2025 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (38%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (37%)
  • Architecture (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Construction Trades (4%)
  • Engineering (76%)
  • Physical Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (5%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (3%)

Outcomes

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Graduation Rate 66% 48%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $60,000
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 79%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,750 $27,500
Median Loan Payment $204 $284

Diversity

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 9% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 82% 84%
% Black 1% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

 SUNY-ESF South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
% In-State 75% 38%
% Out-of-State 25% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is larger than than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology based on total student enrollment (2,737 students vs. 2,492 students)

SUNY-ESF vs. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SUNY-ESF or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology?

  • South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is 10.3% more expensive to attend than SUNY-ESF for in-state tuition ($7,800.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.9% higher at SUNY-ESF than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($18,900.00 vs. $12,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($19,644 vs. $20,243)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology are 102% lower than costs at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry ($8,800 vs. $17,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (94% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students is 82.8% larger than aid received South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($8,675 vs. $4,746)

SUNY-ESF vs. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1215) is 15 points higher than at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1200)
  • Incoming SUNY-ESF students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (27)
  • Accepted freshman SUNY-ESF students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (3.57)
  • South Dakota School of Mines and Technology has a higher acceptance rate (85.3%) than SUNY-ESF (82.9%)

SUNY-ESF vs. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SUNY-ESF or South Dakota School of Mines and Technology? 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 South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and SUNY-ESF.

  • The graduation rate at SUNY-ESF is higher than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (66% vs. 48%)
  • Graduates from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology earn on average $13,800 more per year than SUNY-ESF graduates after ten years. ($60,000 vs. $46,200)
  • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students graduate with a $7,750 lower median federal student loan debt than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates. ($19,750 vs. $27,500)
  • SUNY-ESF graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates. ($204 vs. $284)
  • More South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY-ESF students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 78%)

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