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Marshall , MN
Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) is a public university located in Marshall, Minnesota. It was established in 1963 and is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. SMSU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs through its four colleges: the College of Business, Education, and Professional Studies; the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences; the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology; and the College of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning.
SMSU is known for its strong commitment to providing a high-quality education and preparing its students for successful careers. The university offers more than 50 majors and numerous minors to cater to students' diverse interests and goals. The campus provides modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment, ensuring students have access to the resources they need for their studies. Additionally, SMSU offers various student support services, including academic advising, career counseling, and tutoring, to support students throughout their academic journey.
Beyond academics, SMSU provides a vibrant and engaging campus life for its students. The university offers a variety of student organizations and clubs, giving students opportunities to pursue their passions and develop leadership skills. Sports also play a significant role on campus, with SMSU's Mustangs competing in NCAA Division II athletics. The university's commitment to community engagement and service is evident through its robust partnerships with local businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations. SMSU's strong connection to the community provides students with valuable internship and job opportunities, enhancing their learning experiences and career prospects.
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public comprehensive higher education institution located in Marshall, MN. This institution follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 64%. The freshman retention rate at Southwest Minnesota State University is 73.4% and the six-year graduation rate is 46%.
To find out more about what Southwest Minnesota State University has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
7,290
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
46%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to learn as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the school in order to maximize your chances of being accepted. Learn some relevant information about admission policy and requirements at Southwest Minnesota State University.
In 2025, the school accepted 1,883 new students.
Retention Rate
What is the freshman retention rate? The freshman retention rate is the percentage of full-time students who entered the institution as freshmen in the previous academic year and returned for the fall term of the current academic year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for Southwest Minnesota State University was 73.4%, a clear indication of the excellence and value of the educational experience at this school.
Another important metric to consider is the graduation rate. This rate indicates how many students finish their degrees within a certain timeframe. The six-year graduation rate at this institution stands at 46%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the best fit for you is not an easy task. You can have a better understanding of the school's culture and way of life by finding out more about the student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the institution enrolled 7,773 students.
There was a total of 7,290 undergraduate students, including 106 international students. The school reported to have a total of 469 transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 714 male and 1,265 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. In a diverse learning space, you will be exposed to people from different backgrounds, which promotes the feeling of inclusion and acceptance. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
This school had 62 Asian students and 201 Afro-American students in 2025. 197 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 89 as multirace. The school also had 3 students who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 11 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 36 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before you submit an application to any college or university, you should take into account the financial component. Here are some data on the expenses that most students at this institution have.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some numbers that can help you better understand the estimated tuition cost for this university.
For local residents, public county and municipal institutions reported that tuition costs were $9,370. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $9,370. For international students, tuition fees at this school totaled $9,370, as well. Fees per academic year required of full-time students summed up to $1,549 in 2025.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $9,370 | $1,549 | $10,919 |
| In-State | $9,370 | $1,549 | $10,919 |
Books and Supplies
The estimated price of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into account as another significant financial factor. Most students have to spend about $1,200 for books and supplies during their time at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What do colleges and universities typically charge for room and board?
The cost of room and board (on campus) per academic year at Southwest Minnesota State University was $11,470 in 2025.
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 9,370 |
| Room and Board | $ 11,470 |
| Book and Supplies | $ 1,200 |
| Total Expense | $ 22,040 |
Financial Aid
There are different types of financial help: grants, loans, scholarships, and work-study programs. If you want to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Southwest Minnesota State University, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent records show that 216 freshmen received some sort of financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
656 students were awarded some form of need-based financial aid. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution added up to $3,363,986, and state $1,960,435.
$3,861
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. The most popular forms of non-need-based financial aid for students are loans and grants, like Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
598 students, including freshmen, got institutional non-need-based financial aid at this school in 2025. 200 full-time freshmen were awarded institutional non-need-based scholarship or grant aid. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $2,413,616. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $1,146,034 USD.
Majors
Faculty
16:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
In 2025, this ratio at Southwest Minnesota State University was 16:1. That means that there were 16 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 256 faculty members at this school.
Campus Life
Knowing what to expect out of campus life at a college or university can set you up for success. Check out some information about social life at Southwest Minnesota State University.
It has a campus size of 216 acres.
Student Organizations
Student organizations are run by students of an institution, and its membership usually consists exclusively of current students and/or alumni.
In case you're interested in acting, there is a drama club you can consider joining. For students interested in media and communication, Southwest Minnesota State University publishes its own newspaper and has its own radio station.
FAQ
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Southwest Minnesota State University is located in Marshall, MN.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Southwest Minnesota State University is 64%.
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According to the latest information, the freshman retention rate for Southwest Minnesota State University is 73.4%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
