Northern State University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Northern State University is a public university in South Dakota that admits most qualified applicants (around 93%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what Northern State University weighs, where it ranks among South Dakota schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at Northern State University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Northern State University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Northern State University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Northern State University?
At Northern State University, your real chance depends on far more than the published 93% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Northern State University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Northern State University hard to get into?
Northern State University is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 93% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into Northern State University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Northern State University, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Northern State University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Northern State University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Northern State University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Northern State University with a 3.1 GPA and a 1070 SAT?
About 98% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1070 SAT, the middle of Northern State University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1160 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/northern-state-university.
How to get into Northern State University
Built from Northern State University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into Northern State University comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Northern State University carries about a 2.98 core GPA and a 1110 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 980 to 1160 SAT (18 to 24 ACT). Submit a score at 1070 or higher; below 980, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Northern State University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Northern State University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.northern.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Northern State University, and how many get in?
1,082 students applied to Northern State University for fall 2023; 1,004 were admitted (92.8%). 319 enrolled. Only about 32% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Northern State University enrolls about 1,273 undergraduates in total, 57% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Northern State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Northern State University scored between 980 and 1160 on the SAT (average 1089). On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 18 to 24. A score above 1160 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 980 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Northern State University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Northern State University looks for
What Northern State University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
Northern State University signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Northern State University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Northern State University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Northern State University cost after financial aid?
Northern State University's published cost of attendance, before any aid, is roughly $22,077 per year. Tuition and fees are $8,845 for SD residents and $11,947 for out-of-state students, a $3,102 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $15,812 a year, and it ranges from $10,762 for families earning under $30,000 to $17,933 for families earning over $110,000. 12% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Northern State University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Ten years after enrolling, the median Northern State University student who received federal aid earns $47,618 a year, up from $41,536 at six years. 49% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $22,320; 22% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Northern State University compares in South Dakota
Northern State University ranks #7 most selective of 10 schools in South Dakota in our database.
Among the 10 South Dakota schools we track, Northern State University ranks #7 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Mount Marty University (43%) and Augustana University (68%) sit nearby, which makes South Dakota a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Northern State University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If Northern State University is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Cal State Northridge, Jackson State University, and Northwestern State University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Northern State University's acceptance rate?
Northern State University admitted 1,004 of 1,082 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 92.8% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 32% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Northern State University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 980 to 1160 on the SAT and 18 to 24 on the ACT. A score above 1160 is in the top quarter of admits. Northern State University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Northern State University test-optional?
Yes. Northern State University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Northern State University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Northern State University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $15,812 a year against a sticker price of about $22,077. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,762 on average.
What do Northern State University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Northern State University are $47,618 a year among students who received federal aid, and 49% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Northern State University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Northern State University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Northern State University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Northern State University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Northern State University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Northern State University specifically.
How does residency affect admission to Northern State University?
As a public university, Northern State University typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.