PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota’s public universities welcomed a new class of students this fall, with enrollment data showing the system’s overall headcount holding steady and first-time freshman enrollment continuing to grow compared with last year’s class.
The South Dakota Board of Regents system welcomed more than 35,000 students to campus for the third consecutive year. At the same time, more than 5,000 first-time freshmen have enrolled across the system, continuing a positive trend in new student enrollment.
“Enrollment is more than a number. It reflects students choosing their futures, families investing in education, and communities preparing for the talent they need,” said Board of Regents President Jeff Partridge.
Black Hills State University begins the fall term with the highest enrollment in five years with more than 3,500 students.
Dakota State University begins the fall term with nearly 4,000 students, including more than 750 graduate students. DSU also saw strong growth in out-of-state enrollment, with an increase approaching 10%, one of the largest gains among the state’s public universities.
Northern State University is seeing one of the strongest increases in first-time freshman enrollment across the system, with its incoming class growing by more than 25% compared with fall 2025.
South Dakota Mines welcomed nearly 80 transfer students this fall, a milestone that marks the university’s largest transfer class since 2017. The growth shows that students are choosing Mines not only as a starting point for their college education, but also as a place to continue their studies and prepare for careers in STEM fields.
South Dakota State University remains the state’s largest public university, sustaining an enrollment of nearly 12,000 students for the third consecutive year. A significant share of SDSU’s students continues to come from South Dakota, with its resident student population approaching 7,000.
The University of South Dakota begins the fall term with more than 10,000 students for the third consecutive year.
While enrollment trends vary across institutions, the six universities share a common purpose: creating opportunities for students and building the talent South Dakota needs.
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