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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University says yes to 81.8% of applicants. Focus less on getting in and more on what's below — starting with the $50,296 median earnings.
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Southern Utah University anchors the college town of Cedar City, UT, where the public campus and town largely share a footprint. International students are a visible presence here — 6.6% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Finance and Financial Management Services, where graduates median $100,149 four years out. 24.9% of undergraduates carry Pell grants — a plain read on who the campus actually serves. Most of its 9,289 undergraduates commute — campus empties by evening — yet 75.5% of first-years return, which says something about what daytime here is worth.
Southern Utah University won't look at test scores — here the GPA calculator is the tool that matters. Bring your saved semester numbers and see what they average.
Admissions
In the Fall 2023 cycle, Southern Utah University received 19,190 applications and admitted 15,443 (80.5%), with 2,269 enrolling.
Leave the SAT prep out of this one — test scores are disregarded entirely. Southern Utah University's 81.8% admission rate turned on grades and application strength.
How Southern Utah University compares
| Southern Utah University | Utah median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 81.8% | 85.8% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $6,962 | $9,424 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $50,296 | $52,159 | $53,781 |
At $50,296, ten-year earnings trail the state median ($52,159). Look at Southern Utah University's major-level rows below before reading too much into the campus-wide number.
Cost, size & completion
In-state students pay $6,962 in tuition; crossing a state border raises that to $21,192. For non-residents, Southern Utah University's $21,192 is the number to weigh against private options before assuming public means cheaper.
At 9,289 undergrads, Southern Utah University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.
60.7% graduate within six years. Roughly 39% don't — ask a Southern Utah University tour guide what happens to them and watch the answer carefully.
Top majors by earnings at Southern Utah University
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $100,149 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $78,586 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $74,908 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $60,008 |
| Biology, General | $57,709 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $57,058 |
| Marketing | $54,485 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $54,243 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $54,147 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $53,357 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $48,998 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | $47,654 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $44,461 |
| Psychology, General | $42,393 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $38,210 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General | $36,654 |
| History | $36,457 |
Median earnings for these 17 Southern Utah University programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $50,296 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 33 additional Southern Utah University programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for Southern Utah University?
Southern Utah University doesn't look at test scores; its 81.8% admission rate turned on transcripts, coursework rigor and the application itself.
What is Southern Utah University's acceptance rate?
80.5% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 15,443 admitted from 19,190 applicants.
How much does Southern Utah University cost?
In-state tuition is $6,962; out-of-state students pay $21,192. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do Southern Utah University graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $50,296 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in Utah
- Westminster University — 66.6% admitted
- Brigham Young University — 67.8% admitted
- Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences — 61.9% admitted
- Utah State University — 92.5% 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.