Quad

Southwest Minnesota State University

Marshall, MNQuad's selectivityAccessible
Known forTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

Southwest Minnesota State admits about 6 in 10 applicants (62%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 74% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

62%

62%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

2,811

Admitted

1,748

Yield

22%

of admits enroll

ACT middle 50%

16–23

1236
Applications +53% since fall 2014 · admit rate 67% → 62%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 2,315 undergrads, where 12% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

2.3K

undergrads · larger than 61% of colleges

Diversity index

0.50

Pell Grant

12%

below the median

First generation

27%

below the median

Remote townNCAA D-II · Northern Sun Intercollegiate ConferenceStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.32 → 0.50 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (12% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 52% of faculty are full-time. Spends $7,153 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 72% of colleges

Most popular major

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

12% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

$83.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

52%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$7.2K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,534 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.7K less than the national median. The 94% who received grants paid $15,547 on average; the other 6% paid the full sticker price of $25,712.

32%

$17.5K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.7K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$25,712 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 32% of full price

Federal loans

15%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost falling · −14% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $51,342 ten years after enrolling, more than at 42% of colleges; 47% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.4 years of that salary.

47%

47%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$51.3K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.5K

≈ $217/month for 10 years

Retention

74%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 43% → 45% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 14%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 53% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 67% to 62%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −14% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +53%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 67% → 62%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.32 → 0.50

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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63% admit · 1.8K undergrads

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Colorado School of Mines

61% admit · SAT 1400 · 6.2K undergrads

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St. Mary's College of Maryland

73% admit · SAT 1220 · 1.6K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Southwest Minnesota State University (2026)

    Southwest Minnesota State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 175078 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything