Youngstown State vs. NSU

Should I go to Youngstown State University or Northern State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Youngstown State or NSU 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
Youngstown State University vs. Northern State University comparison
Youngstown State University Northern State University College 3 College 4
Youngstown State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Youngstown State NSU
Location Youngstown, OH Aberdeen, SD
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 11,071 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #983 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ysu.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Youngstown State NSU
Tuition (In State) $10,410 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $10,770 $10,718
Room & Board $10,016 $9,150
Avg Net Price $11,900 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $7,631 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 91%

Admission

Youngstown State NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,481 1,322
Admitted 6,030 1,033
Acceptance Rate 80.6%Open 78.1%
Enrolled % 26.9%Open 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.37
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 830/1160 800/1150
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 1, 2025

Academics

Youngstown State NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Engineering Technology (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

Youngstown State NSU
Graduation Rate 35% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,700 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 36% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $279 $252

Diversity

Youngstown State NSU
% Men 43% 37%
% Women 57% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 83%
% Black 11% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

Youngstown State NSU
% In-State 76% 69%
% Out-of-State 15% 30%

Campus

Youngstown State NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Youngstown State University is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (11,071 students vs. 3,344 students)

Youngstown State vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Youngstown State or NSU?

  • Youngstown State University is 36.7% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($10,410.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Youngstown State than Northern State University ($10,770.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Youngstown State University than NSU ($11,900 vs. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 9.5% lower than costs at Youngstown State University ($9,150 vs. $10,016)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Youngstown State University than Northern State University (93% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Youngstown State University students is 33.5% larger than aid received Northern State University ($7,631 vs. $5,715)

Youngstown State vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern State University (1024) is 43 points higher than at Youngstown State (981)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Youngstown State (21)
  • Accepted freshman Youngstown State students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at NSU (3.37)
  • Youngstown State has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than NSU (78.1%)

Youngstown State vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Youngstown State or NSU? 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 NSU and Youngstown State.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than Youngstown State University (42% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Youngstown State University earn on average $300 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($37,700 vs. $37,400)
  • Northern State University students graduate with a $2,601 lower median federal student loan debt than Youngstown State graduates. ($24,399 vs. $27,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $27 less per month on federal student loans than Youngstown State graduates. ($252 vs. $279)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Youngstown State students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 36%)

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