Colleges › South Dakota › Augustana University
Augustana University
Most applicants get into Augustana University — 67.8% were admitted — so the real questions are cost, fit and outcomes, covered below.
Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →
Augustana University sits in Sioux Falls proper — a private campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. The school maintains its Evangelical Lutheran Church affiliation, which threads through campus life to a degree that varies by program.
Its highest-earning path is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, where graduates median $77,844 four years out. Faculty pay averages $75,888 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 1,965 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 86.1% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1075 and 1290 — near the SD middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on Augustana University's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Augustana University is test-optional: scores are considered when submitted but not required. The 1075–1290 range below describes admitted students who chose to submit — typically Augustana University's stronger testers — so treat it as the higher end of what gets in.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 530 | 570 | 640 |
| SAT Math | 545 | 590 | 650 |
| ACT Composite | 21 | 24 | 27 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Augustana University received 3,330 applications and admitted 1,973 (59.2%), with 456 enrolling.
How Augustana University compares
| Augustana University | South Dakota median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 67.8% | 84.6% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $40,160 | $10,077 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $59,217 | $51,926 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median Augustana University student earns $59,217 — 14% above the South Dakota median of $51,926 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
Augustana University lists tuition at $40,160 for everyone — private schools don't do residency pricing. Augustana University's sticker and net price can differ sharply after aid; treat $40,160 as the ceiling, not the bill.
With 1,965 undergraduates, Augustana University is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
73% of Augustana University students finish a bachelor's within six years — 18.1 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $40,160 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at Augustana University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $77,844 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $68,523 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $68,463 |
| Biology, General | $67,630 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $58,906 |
| Psychology, General | $58,256 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $46,600 |
Median earnings for these 7 Augustana University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $59,217 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 42 additional Augustana University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Augustana University?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1075–1290 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 67.8% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is Augustana University's acceptance rate?
59.2% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 1,973 admitted from 3,330 applicants.
How much does Augustana University cost?
At Augustana University, published tuition is $40,160 — net price after aid usually comes in lower. That number is Augustana University's ceiling, not a quote.
What do Augustana University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $59,217 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in South Dakota
- Dakota Wesleyan University — 73.4% admitted
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology — 79.9% admitted
- University of Sioux Falls — 82.9% admitted
- Black Hills State University — 96.3% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.