Banner Image For Southwest Minnesota State University

1501 State Street
Marshall, MN 56258
United States

Associate Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Graduate (Certificates and Degrees)
Southwest Minnesota State University is a four-year public university offering a high quality education in the liberal arts and professions to prepare you for a life that is successful both personally and professionally. SMSU has grown into a university of choice with high national rankings, producing scholars who become the leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs of the future.

Strong academics, fulfilling social activities, rewarding civic engagement projects, and support from fellow Mustangs in a close-knit environment mean you will get the education of a lifetime at a price that won’t take a lifetime to pay for. We invite you to visit SMSU and to see for yourself all that we have to offer.
The following information should help you understand the cost of attending college. Keep in mind that most students receive a financial aid package (grants and scholarships) which lowers their out-of-pocket cost. This is reflected on the net price information, if available.
Living On-Campus
22,808
Living Off-Campus
22,707
Living with Family
20,907
The amounts above pertain to first-time full-time undergraduate students and include tuition and fees, housing and meals, transportation, and personal expenses. Use these estimated amounts as a reference for building your annual budget for attending this institution.
Average Net Price $14,061 / year

This is the average annual amount that first-time, full-time undergraduate students pay at this institution after subtracting all grants and scholarships from the cost of attendance.

Show Net Price details
Net cost after grants and scholarships by income
$0-$30,000: $9,266
$30,001-$48,000: $10,511
$48,001-$75,000: $13,621
$75,001-$110,000: $15,604
Over $110,000: $18,239

This net price data shows the average amount students have paid, according to their family income, after subtracting all grants and scholarships.

Student/Faculty Ratio
14:1
Size of Student Body
6,984
Average Class Size
16
Graduate Students Enrolled
430
Show Undergraduate Student Body details
Breakdown by Race
American Indian or Alaska Native: 1%
Black or African American: 8%
Hispanic: 7%
Asian: 3%
White: 70%
Two or more races: 4%
International Students: 7%
Unknown: 2%
Breakdown by Age
19 and Younger: 31%
20 to 24: 42%
25 to 34: 14%
35 to 44: 8%
45 and Older: 5%
Breakdown by Gender
Men: 38%
Women: 61%
New entering students who are transfers
38%

Graduation Rate for Four-Year Programs
47%
Show Graduation Rate 4-yr Institution details
Completers within 6 years by race
White: 53%
Completers within 6 years by gender
Men: 42%
Women: 51%
Retention Rate
67%
Show Retention Rate details
Retention Rate By Type
Full-time: 63%
Part-time: 50%
Small town/rural
Average amount of federal, state, local, institutional or other sources of grant aid awarded to undergraduate students
$5,503

The following information pertains to first-time full-time undergraduate students.

Show Financial Aid details
Average amount of aid awarded to full-time first-time undergraduates
State/Local grant aid: $3,106
Institutional grant aid: $2,882
Federal grant aid: $2,559
Average amount of grant aid awarded by income (all sources)
$0-$30,000: $9,903
$30,001-$48,000: $9,536
$48,001-$75,000: $8,325
$75,001-$110,000: $3,799
Over $110,000: $2,326
School Scholarships
Yes
Required Forms: FAFSA
Title IV (FAFSA) School Code:
002375
Financial Aid Contact

This section shows the median debt graduates incurred to complete their degree at this institution.

Median Cumulative Debt by Degree Type
  • Bachelor's Degree: $25,000
  • Master's Degree: $25,874
Percent of Graduates With Loans
  • Associate's Degree: 25%
  • Bachelor's Degree: 72%
  • Graduate Certificate: 88%
  • Master's Degree: 48%

  • System applications (online)
  • School applications (online)
  • School applications (paper)
  • SMSU is now test optional for admission to the university. Students can submit test scores if they choose to, but they are not required for admission. We may ask for test scores to assist with course placement.
  • High School Diploma or GED
  • Transcripts
  • SMSU is now offering test optional admission. Students can choose to submit their test scores, or not. We also offer self-reported admission where students can simply tell us their cumulative GPA and/or test scores. We will verify with final high school transcripts.
  • Accepts dual credits
  • Accepts exam-based credits
  • Institution awards credits for military training
Application Timelines

Rolling Admissions Deadline

Fall- August 21st- Preferred

Financial Aid Application Deadline

March 1st is Priority Deadline

Admissions Contact
The data displayed below comes from the Graduate Employment Outcomes tool and only reports on graduates employed in Minnesota. This section shows employment data for graduate class of 2017, including percent of graduates with full-time employment in the 3rd year after college graduation and the median annual wages by award level, according to the Minnesota unemployment insurance records. Data does not include federal employees, self-employed (e.g. professional freelancers, artists, developers, designers, business owners), military, or individuals who moved out of state for a job. The list below may be incomplete and limited to some majors. Additionally, data has been suppressed when it refers to 10 or less students.Jump to:
Bachelor's Degree
Field of Study Percent Employed Full-time 3 Years Post-Graduation Median Annual Salary of Graduates
Accounting and Related Services 71% $56,407
Agricultural Business and Management 79% $49,427
Agriculture, agriculture operations, and related sciences 71% $49,427
Business Administration, Management and Operations 69% $48,846
Business, management, marketing, and related support services 68% $47,620
Education 17% $43,894
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General 76% $70,377
Marketing 80% $47,390
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 78% $75,646
Graduate (Certificates and Degrees)
Field of Study Percent Employed Full-time 3 Years Post-Graduation Median Annual Salary of Graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations 64% $64,727
Business, management, marketing, and related support services 64% $64,727
Education 22% $65,949
Education, General 21% $64,092
This profile features institution-wide data. Be aware that some categories may not be showing and that data is suppressed when reporting is for 10 or less students. Most data and terminology is sourced from IPEDS. To learn more about each section, please refer to Data Sources.