SD
South Dakota State University
1.33 incidents / 1,000 students
Brookings, SD · Clery Act 2024 · Public
South Dakota State University
Across 2022–2024, South Dakota State University reported 37 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, with no net change between the first and last filed year; largest filed category is Fondling.
- 1.33
- Incidents / 1k students
- #775
- Rank of 2,072
- #12
- SD rank
- 12,056
- Enrolled students
1.33 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
South Dakota State University reports 1.33 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 45% above Middlesex College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Middlesex College (0.00/1k); Glendale Community College (0.91/1k); Texas State Technical College (1.49/1k); University of Maine (2.08/1k); Greenville Technical College (0.08/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes University of South Dakota (2.17/1k); Dakota State University (0.79/1k); Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 1.33
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #775
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 63%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 9
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 219356 · South Dakota State University 1.33/1k score rate · #775/2,072
RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-FLAT · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-LOW 1.33/1k
- RANK-MID #775/2,072
- ST-MID #12 in state
- BELOW-PEER Texas State Technical College · 0.16 back
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-FLAT Flat
- CAT-LEAD Fondling
- ENR-MID 12,056
- FIRE-REPORT 2 fires
Nearest enrollment peer: Texas State Technical College (+0.16/1k)
South Dakota State University sheet RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-FLAT · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT · peer Texas State Technical College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-LOW · RANK-MID · ST-MID · BELOW-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-FLAT · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Texas State Technical College (+0.16/1k). National rank #775 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
South Dakota State University reports 1.33 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 45% above Middlesex College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Middlesex College (0.00/1k); Glendale Community College (0.91/1k); Texas State Technical College (1.49/1k); University of Maine (2.08/1k); Greenville Technical College (0.08/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes University of South Dakota (2.17/1k); Dakota State University (0.79/1k); Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Fondling.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around South Dakota State
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest South on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Middlesex College · lowest peer 0
Middlesex College — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Glendale Community College · near
Glendale Community College — near
0.91 per 1,000 students
- South Dakota State University · this campus
South Dakota State University — this campus
1.33 per 1,000 students
- Texas State Technical College · near
Texas State Technical College — near
1.49 per 1,000 students
- University of Maine · highest peer
University of Maine — highest peer
2.08 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around South Dakota State University's 1.33/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
South Dakota State University decreased from 19 to 9 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 14 SD 4-year peers in this comparison, South Dakota State University is larger than 100% and safer-reporting than 38% - the larger, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 15
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 85, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 54
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 77, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 46
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 62, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 62
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 54, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 46, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 38, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 23, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 15, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 23
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
- South Dakota State Univers…: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 38
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sisseton Wahpeton College | 206 | 0.00 | 0 | 77 |
| Sinte Gleska University | 592 | 1.69 | 8 | 23 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | 892 | 0.00 | 15 | 77 |
| Oglala Lakota College | 1,188 | 0.00 | 23 | 77 |
| Kairos University | 1,239 | 0.00 | 31 | 77 |
| Mount Marty University | 1,284 | 4.67 | 38 | 8 |
| University of Sioux Falls | 1,450 | 0.69 | 46 | 69 |
| Augustana University | 2,390 | 8.79 | 54 | 0 |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 2,576 | 0.78 | 62 | 62 |
| Black Hills State University | 3,346 | 0.90 | 69 | 46 |
| Northern State University | 3,708 | 1.62 | 77 | 31 |
| South Dakota State University (this campus) | 12,056 | 1.33 | 100 | 38 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at South Dakota State University fell from 19 to 9 (-53%). The increase shows up in Aggravated Assault (0 to 1). Falling over the same period: Fondling (8 to 4), Motor Vehicle Theft (4 to 1) and Burglary (2 to 0).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at South Dakota State University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 5 Clery Act categories here: Fondling, Rape, Motor Vehicle Theft, Burglary and Aggravated Assault.
The remaining 6 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlySouth Dakota State University: Criminal Offenses by year
Stable 0% (9 → 9 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 19 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fondling | 4 | 8 | 3 |
| Rape | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Burglary | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 12 | 3 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 120 | 95 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 30 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 164 | 92 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 20 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 165 | 79 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 2 |
South Dakota State University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
NJ
Middlesex College
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
CA
Glendale Community College
0.91 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where South Dakota State University sits on price and outcomes
At $19,841, South Dakota State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 65% among 20 South Dakota colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $18,146.
- $19,841
- average net price
- $18,146
- South Dakota median
- 2.1×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $7,620
- reported income-bracket spread
Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $14,266 for families reporting under $30,000 against $21,886 above $110,000, a difference of $7,620. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $19,841 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.
Six-year median earnings of $49,564 run about 2.5 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $9,299
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $12,809
- Avg Net Price
- $19,841
- Median Debt
- $23,250
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 17%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 98%
- SAT Average
- 1120
- SAT Math Range
- 530-630
- ACT Average
- 22
- ACT Range
- 19-25
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 61%
- Retention Rate
- 84%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $49,564
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $55,070
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 89%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 704 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Middlesex College
Edison, NJ · 12,044 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Glendale Community College
Glendale, CA · 12,075 enrolled
Safety Score 0.91
Texas State Technical College
Waco, TX · 12,077 enrolled
Safety Score 1.49
University of Maine
Orono, ME · 12,029 enrolled
Safety Score 2.08
Greenville Technical College
Greenville, SC · 11,999 enrolled
Safety Score 0.08
Closest by National Rank
South Dakota State University (national rank #775) sits near Washburn University (#774) and Temple College (#776) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for South Dakota State University, both outside SD so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
University of Maine
Orono, ME · 12,029 enrolled
Safety score 2.08
Greenville Technical College
Greenville, SC · 11,999 enrolled
Safety score 0.08
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX · 12,116 enrolled
Safety score 6.03
Marshall University
Huntington, WV · 11,958 enrolled
Safety score 1.34
Brown University
Providence, RI · 11,956 enrolled
Safety score 5.10
North Dakota State University-Main Campus
Fargo, ND · 11,952 enrolled
Safety score 2.09
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY · 11,946 enrolled
Safety score 5.02
Touro University
New York, NY · 11,937 enrolled
Safety score 0.17
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Washburn University
Topeka, KS · 6,033 enrolled
Safety score 1.33
Casa Loma College-Los Angeles
Sherman Oaks, CA · 759 enrolled
Safety score 1.32
St. Francis College
Brooklyn, NY · 4,567 enrolled
Safety score 1.31
Drew University
Madison, NJ · 2,232 enrolled
Safety score 1.34
Wartburg College
Waverly, IA · 1,483 enrolled
Safety score 1.35
College of Central Florida
Ocala, FL · 5,928 enrolled
Safety score 1.35
Monroe University
Bronx, NY · 8,141 enrolled
Safety score 1.35
Frequently Asked Questions
Is South Dakota State University safe?
South Dakota State University has a safety score of 1.33 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #775 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Middlesex College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: University of South Dakota (2.17/1k); Dakota State University (0.79/1k); Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k).
What crimes are reported at South Dakota State University?
For calendar year 2024, South Dakota State University reported Fondling (4), Rape (3), Aggravated Assault (1) and Motor Vehicle Theft (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does South Dakota State University compare to similar schools?
South Dakota State University reports 45% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Middlesex College. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Middlesex College (0.00/1k); Glendale Community College (0.91/1k); Texas State Technical College (1.49/1k); University of Maine (2.08/1k); Greenville Technical College (0.08/1k). Same-state same-level set: University of South Dakota (2.17/1k); Dakota State University (0.79/1k); Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k).
Does South Dakota State University have fire safety data?
Yes. South Dakota State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 2 fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.