Graduate Cost of Attendance
USD is committed to offering accredited, high-quality graduate programs and courses with the affordability you desire.
The graduate cost of attendance is an estimate of the costs for one year as a graduate student at the University of South Dakota. Students are assigned a federal aid cost of attendance once they file a FAFSA, which is used to determine the maximum amount of financial aid needed.
Direct costs are those costs that are automatically billed to your university account.
Indirect costs are expenses that would still be incurred, but not charged by the university.
Cost of Attendance Explained
Tuition and Fees
These are the costs for your classes. The amount listed is based on 18 credits of tuition per academic year and the general activity fee.
Course/Discipline Fees
These are fees charged in addition to tuition and the general activity fee. The amount shown represents an average that students pay per year in course/discipline fees. Some majors will have higher fees than the average.
Housing and Meals
The amount listed is based on an average of the residence options available and a standard food allowance that provides the equivalent of three meals each day. Your actual costs may differ depending on your housing assignment and meal plan choice. If you are not living on campus or do not have a meal plan through the university, you will not be charged for these items.
Books, Course Materials, Supplies and Equipment
The amount listed is an estimate; your actual costs may differ each semester based on the classes you are taking.
Transportation and Personal Expenses
The amounts listed are an estimate for your daily personal expenses. These are not charged to you but you can use financial aid to help cover these costs if you so choose. Personal expenses include phone bills, clothes, entertainment, laundry, and gas.
Loan Fees
This amount is added to estimated costs to offset the direct loan origination fees.
Graduate Student Living Cost
Off Campus
Graduate Students Living Off Campus
| SD Resident, SD Advantage* or Child of Alumni |
Returning Minnesota Students |
Non- Resident |
Online | Graduate Assistant - Resident |
Graduate Assistant - Non- Resident |
Graduate Assistant - Online |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Costs | |||||||
| Tuition & Fees | $7,487 | $11,561 | $13,441 | $8,923 | $4,455 | $5,100 | $5,891 |
| Course/Discipline Fees* | $454 | $454 | $454 | $454 | $454 | ||
| Direct Costs Total | $7,941 | $12,015 | $13,895 | $8,923 | $4,909 | $5,554 | $5,891 |
| Indirect Costs | |||||||
| Housing & Food | $12,121 | $12,121 | $12,121 | $12,121 | $12,121 | $12,121 | $12,121 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies & Equipment |
$420 | $420 | $420 | $420 | $420 | $420 | $420 |
| Personal | $3,030 | $3,030 | $3,030 | $3,030 | $3,030 | $3,030 | $3,030 |
| Transportation | $2,392 | $2,392 | $2,392 | $2,392 | $2,392 | $2,392 | $2,392 |
| Loan Fees | $154 | $154 | $154 | $154 | $154 | $154 | $154 |
| Indirect Costs Total | $18,117 | $18,117 | $18,117 | $18,117 | $18,117 | $18,117 | $18,117 |
| Total | $26,058 | $30,132 | $32,012 | $27,040 | $23,026 | $23,671 | $24,008 |
Off Campus
Graduate Students Living Off Campus with a Parent or Guardian
|
|
SD Resident, SD Advantage* or Child of Alumni
|
Returning Minnesota Students
|
Non-Resident
|
Online
|
Graduate Assistant - Resident
|
Graduate Assistant - Non-Resident
|
Graduate Assistant - Online
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct Costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuition & Fees
|
7487
|
11561
|
13441
|
8923
|
4455
|
5100
|
5891
|
|
Course/Discipline Fees*
|
454
|
454
|
454
|
|
454
|
454
|
|
|
Direct Costs Total
|
7941
|
12015
|
13895
|
8923
|
4909
|
5554
|
5891
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indirect Costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Housing & Food
|
5266
|
5266
|
5266
|
5266
|
5266
|
5266
|
5266
|
|
Books, Course Materials, Supplies & Equipment
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
|
Personal Expenses
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
|
Transportation Expenses
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
|
Loan Fees
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
|
Indirect Costs Total
|
10178
|
10178
|
10178
|
10178
|
10178
|
10178
|
10178
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Annual Cost of Attendance Estimate
|
18119
|
22193
|
24073
|
19101
|
15087
|
15732
|
16069
|
On Campus
Graduate Students Living On Campus
Please note: Graduate students are encouraged to secure off-campus housing. On-campus housing capacity is limited and undergraduate students have priority for the available on-campus housing options.
|
|
SD Resident, SD Advantage* or Child of Alumni
|
Returning Minnesota Students
|
Non-Resident
|
Online
|
Graduate Assistant - Resident
|
Graduate Assistant - Non-Resident
|
Graduate Assistant - Online
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct Costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tuition & Fees
|
7487
|
11561
|
13441
|
8923
|
4455
|
5100
|
5891
|
|
Course/Discipline Fees*
|
454
|
454
|
454
|
|
454
|
454
|
|
|
Housing & Food
|
11238
|
11238
|
11238
|
11238
|
11238
|
11238
|
11238
|
|
Direct Costs Total
|
19179
|
23253
|
25133
|
20161
|
16147
|
16792
|
17129
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indirect Costs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Books, Course Materials, Supplies & Equipment
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
420
|
|
Personal Expenses
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
2424
|
|
Transportation Expenses
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
1914
|
|
Loan Fees
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
154
|
|
Indirect Costs Total
|
4912
|
4912
|
4912
|
4912
|
4912
|
4912
|
4912
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Annual Cost of Attendance Estimate
|
24091
|
28165
|
30045
|
25073
|
21059
|
21704
|
22041
|
*SDAdvantage: New incoming graduate students pursuing on-campus programs (if in one of these programs, see following paragraph: medicine, law, Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) and Physician Assistant (PA) studies) may qualify for the resident tuition rate if they have an undergraduate degree from an SDBOR institution and reside in one of the following states: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
For medicine (MD), law (JD), OT, PT and PA programs (starting Summer 2025), qualifying students may be eligible for a graduate tuition rate of 175% of the resident rate. Eligibility requires an undergraduate degree from an SDBOR institution and residency in one of the above states.
Minnesota Students
The South Dakota-Minnesota Tuition Reciprocity Agreement ends after the 2023-2024 academic year. Minnesota graduate students already enrolled or entering in Fall 2024 will continue to receive reciprocal rates until they complete their degree. Starting Summer 2025, new students will pay either the SD Advantage rate (if they have an undergraduate degree from an SDBOR institution and are Minnesota residents) or the Non-Resident tuition rate.
**Child of Alumni: If one or both parents graduated with a degree from USD, on-campus courses are eligible for resident tuition (excluding students in law, medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant, or occupational therapy programs). Students can contact Graduate Admissions at (605) 658-6140 to discuss eligibility.
