Catholic School CompassTrue north for Catholic families.
Northern State University: Boyd Perkins, Alan LaFave and Brian Walden 120320-N-AB816-001 (7003554813)
Photo: United States Navy Band from Washington, D.C., USA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

College · Catholic life on campus

Northern State University

  • LocationAberdeen, SD
  • Type and sizePublic · 4-year · 3,521 students
Official website

Northern State University is not a Catholic college. This rating measures Catholic life on campus: campus ministry, priests, Mass and confession, student groups, and nearby parishes.

Catholic life here hasn’t been researched yet. We research from official sources only, starting with the largest campuses, and we never guess. The nearest Catholic church mapped in OpenStreetMap is 0.2 miles away.

Know the official campus ministry or Mass schedule page? Send us the link.

Catholic churches nearby

Map of Northern State University, its Catholic center and nearby Catholic churches0.5 mi1 mi2 miSaint Thomas Aquinas Newman Center: 0.2 mi1St. Mary's Catholic Church: 1.2 mi2Northern State University (campus)N0.5 mi
CampusCatholic church (numbered below)Open a street map ›
  1. Saint Thomas Aquinas Newman Center — 0.2 mi · 310 15th Avenue SE
  2. St. Mary's Catholic Church — 1.2 mi

Within 3 miles, as mapped by OpenStreetMap contributors. The map may be incomplete. Confirm with the parish or diocese.

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Academic Excellence

DAcademic Excellence: Limited (grade D): 40 to 100 points out of 100 on what official sources document. Grades need sources for at least 60% of the checklist.
55 of 100
From federal data, on fixed published scales.

Each measure counts for the share shown.

  • Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.49%
  • First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.77%
  • Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,089 · ACT 21
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.19 to 1
  • Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$9,584

Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.

Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))

Cost and value

Federal data, shown separately. Cost, debt, and earnings are never part of any grade.

Value and outcomes
Undergraduate students
Fall enrollment (IPEDS)
2,932
Total students3,521
Average net price (per year)
After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid
$15,812
Cost of attendance (per year)$22,077
Median federal debt at graduation$22,320
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
49%
First-year retention77%
Median earnings 10 years after entry$47,618
Admission rate93%
Students receiving Pell grants12%
Admission test scores (middle 50% of admitted students who submitted scores)
Average SAT1089
SAT reading & writing490–590
SAT math490–570
ACT composite18–24
Test policyConsidered but not required

Value index: 49 / 100 (how it’s computed)

Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.

Local Church

Diocese of Sioux Falls

The Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood, Bishop of Sioux Falls

Formal address: “Your Excellency”

Source: sfcatholic.org, sfcatholic.org, usccb.org, verified Oct. 7, 2026.

Diocese determined from the county using NCES Catholic school records. Confirm with the diocese.

About this school’s data

Questions families ask

Is Northern State University a Catholic college?
No. Northern State University is not a Catholic college. Catholic School Compass rates the Catholic life on its campus instead.

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