The average acceptance rate at South Dakota State over the past 10 years is 91.54%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 98.34%. The acceptance rate at South Dakota State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 42.27%, and the 2025 yield is 34.06%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 28.87% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of South Dakota State applicants increased by 23.84% (1,403 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 44.01% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 98.34%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that South Dakota State is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 34.06%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at South Dakota State. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, South Dakota State received approximately 7,287 applications, admitted 7,166 students, and enrolled 2,441 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that South Dakota State is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
South Dakota State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at South Dakota State over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 91.54%, while the most recent rate stands at 98.34%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 98.34%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 90.42% and for women is 92.68%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at South Dakota State have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 91.70% | 90.17% | 93.17% |
| 2016-17 | 90.76% -0.94% |
88.68% -1.50% |
92.71% -0.46% |
| 2017-18 | 91.37% 0.61% |
90.95% 2.28% |
91.75% -0.96% |
| 2018-19 | 92.43% 1.06% |
91.62% 0.67% |
93.16% 1.41% |
| 2019-20 | 90.04% -2.39% |
89.10% -2.53% |
90.80% -2.35% |
| 2020-21 | 88.94% -1.09% |
87.78% -1.31% |
90.18% -0.62% |
| 2021-22 | 86.99% -1.95% |
86.99% -0.79% |
88.01% -2.17% |
| 2022-23 | 86.08% -0.92% |
82.24% -4.76% |
89.60% 1.59% |
| 2023-24 | 98.71% 12.63% |
98.68% 16.44% |
98.74% 9.13% |
| 2024-25 | 98.34% -0.37% |
98.00% -0.68% |
98.67% -0.06% |
| Average | 91.54% | 90.42% | 92.68% |
South Dakota State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 47.89% in 2015 to 34.06% in 2025, representing a 28.87% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 42.27%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at South Dakota State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 28.87% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 47.89% | 48.15% | 47.65% |
| 2016-17 | 48.41% 0.53% |
47.79% -0.36% |
48.97% 1.32% |
| 2017-18 | 44.80% -3.62% |
47.19% -0.60% |
42.64% -6.33% |
| 2018-19 | 43.76% -1.04% |
44.98% -2.21% |
42.67% 0.04% |
| 2019-20 | 40.23% -3.53% |
42.69% -2.29% |
38.27% -4.41% |
| 2020-21 | 44.36% 4.13% |
45.13% 2.44% |
43.75% 5.48% |
| 2021-22 | 40.00% -4.36% |
41.98% -3.15% |
39.00% -4.75% |
| 2022-23 | 40.00% 0.00% |
40.91% -1.07% |
39.31% 0.30% |
| 2023-24 | 39.15% -0.84% |
39.85% -1.06% |
38.58% -0.72% |
| 2024-25 | 34.06% -5.09% |
31.57% -8.29% |
36.48% -2.10% |
| Average | 42.27% | 43.02% | 41.73% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 5,763, the average number of admitted is 5,285, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 2,207.
The number of South Dakota State applicants increased by 23.84% (1,403 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 44.01% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at South Dakota State University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 5,060 | 4,640 | 2,222 |
| 2016-17 | 5,173 2.23% |
4,695 1.19% |
2,273 2.30% |
| 2017-18 | 5,551 7.31% |
5,072 8.03% |
2,272 -0.04% |
| 2018-19 | 5,390 -2.90% |
4,982 -1.77% |
2,180 -4.05% |
| 2019-20 | 5,861 8.74% |
5,277 5.92% |
2,123 -2.61% |
| 2020-21 | 5,290 -9.74% |
4,705 -10.84% |
2,087 -1.70% |
| 2021-22 | 5,774 9.15% |
5,023 6.76% |
2,009 -3.74% |
| 2022-23 | 6,364 10.22% |
5,478 9.06% |
2,191 9.06% |
| 2023-24 | 5,884 -7.54% |
5,808 6.02% |
2,274 3.79% |
| 2024-25 | 7,287 23.84% |
7,166 23.38% |
2,441 7.34% |
| Average | 5,763 | 5,285 | 2,207 |
The following table compares South Dakota State University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota State University | 98.71% | 98.34% | -0.37% |
| University of South Dakota | 98.78% | 98.95% | -0.17% |
| Western Illinois University | 71.18% | 74.96% | -5.04% |
| Purdue University Fort Wayne | 83.89% | 85.66% | -2.07% |
| Oral Roberts University | 98.90% | 98.60% | 0.30% |
| University of North Dakota | 76.90% | 77.09% | -0.25% |
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