KU vs. USD

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

KU USD
Location Lawrence, KS Vermillion, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 26,708 9,856
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #252 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ku.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

KU USD
Tuition (In State) $10,092 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $26,960 $11,283
Room & Board $10,136 $8,224
Avg Net Price $18,950 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $11,140 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 79%

Admission

KU USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,204 4,480
Admitted 14,234 4,456
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 99.5%
Enrolled % 31.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.66 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/25
SAT Range 1090/1340 1020/1300
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

KU USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (15%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

KU USD
Graduation Rate 61% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $54,600 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 66% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $258

Diversity

KU USD
% Men 45% 37%
% Women 55% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 85%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

KU USD
% In-State 58% 54%
% Out-of-State 39% 43%

Campus

KU USD
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

  • University of Kansas is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (26,708 students vs. 9,856 students)

KU vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, KU or USD?

  • University of Kansas is 29.8% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($10,092.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.9% higher at KU than University of South Dakota ($26,960.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than KU ($18,378 vs. $18,950)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 23.2% lower than costs at University of Kansas ($8,224 vs. $10,136)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than University of South Dakota (87% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kansas students is 76.6% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($11,140 vs. $6,308)

KU vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kansas (1145) is 96 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming KU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman KU students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.66) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than KU (87.8%)

KU vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, KU 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 KU.

  • The graduation rate at KU is higher than University of South Dakota (61% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of Kansas earn on average $6,400 more per year than USD graduates after ten years. ($54,600 vs. $48,200)
  • University of Kansas students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($20,500 vs. $25,000)
  • KU graduates are paying $47 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($211 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 66%)

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