Southern Utah UniversityUSHE
Cedar City, Utah · USHE public · School-wide averages from federal college data.
Numbers on this page are school-wide averages from federal and state data. They do not describe every major or program. Small graduating classes may be hidden for privacy. Apprenticeships and some trade programs are not included.
At Southern Utah University, net price is what families actually pay after grants and scholarships. For families earning $0–$30,000, that was about $6K per year, lower than the median among USHE four-year colleges in Utah ($10K), and lower than the median among colleges nationwide ($15K).
Finish on time means completing within the normal time frame for the degree (for example, three years for a two-year associate's degree). About 61% of students finished on time, higher than the median among USHE four-year colleges in Utah (53%), and about the same as the median among colleges nationwide (58%). That is lower than the 76% of full-time freshmen who returned for year 2.
Typical pay six years after starting was about $41K, lower than the median among USHE four-year colleges in Utah ($46K), and higher than the median among colleges nationwide ($36K). Graduates who borrowed had a median of about $8K in federal loan debt at graduation, lower than the median among USHE four-year colleges in Utah ($9K), and lower than the median among colleges nationwide ($10K).
Utah payroll records show typical pay of about $70K one year after finishing, higher than the $41K school-wide figure measured six years after starting. About 49% of associate's degree graduates had a job in Utah one year after finishing.
Net price by family income
What full-time undergraduates actually paid per year after grants and scholarships, by family income band (federal College Scorecard).
| Family income | Net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,070 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $7,235 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $9,297 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $12,487 |
Published costs
Published sticker prices where reported. Net price bands above show what families typically paid after aid.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Published tuition & fees (in-state) | $6,962 |
| Published tuition & fees (out-of-state) | $21,192 |
| Total cost of attendance | $19,416 |
| Room & board | $8,824 |
| Books & supplies | $800 |
Who attends
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate enrollment | 9,289 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 24.9% |
| First-year retention (full-time) | 75.5% |
| Admission rate | 81.8% |
| Student–faculty ratio | 22:1 |
After graduation: jobs and pay
For Utah public colleges, the state tracks graduates who work in Utah using payroll records employers file with the Department of Workforce Services. The U.S. Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) study links college transcripts to jobs nationwide. Utah sections show in-state pay and employment; Census sections show national pay, how many graduates stay in Utah, and common industries. Groups with fewer than 10 graduates are hidden for privacy.
Working in Utah (state data)
Pay and employment for graduates found in Utah wage records. Wage figures include only graduates with reported earnings. USHE dashboard.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Typical annual pay (1 year after graduating, Utah only) | $70,314 |
| Lower end (25th percentile) | $50,736 |
| Higher end (75th percentile) | $90,880 |
| Program groups counted | 510 |
Share of graduates employed in Utah about one year after finishing (Utah payroll records; excludes federal employers and graduates who left the state).
| Credential type | Share employed in Utah |
|---|---|
| Certificate · about 1 year after graduating | 55.4% |
| Associate Degree · about 1 year after graduating | 49.1% |
| Bachelor's Degree · about 1 year after graduating | 59.6% |
| Master's Degree · about 1 year after graduating | 61.3% |
How pay changes after graduating (Utah)
Change in annual wages from one year before graduation to one or five years after, for graduates working in Utah. Shown by broad program area. Graduating class: 2023-24 Graduated.
| Program area | Pay change |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics | $68,324 (5 yr) |
| Engineering | $34,723 (1 yr) · $57,909 (5 yr) |
| Social Sciences | $19,320 (1 yr) · $56,918 (5 yr) |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $27,761 (1 yr) · $45,324 (5 yr) |
| Business, Management, and Marketing | $15,055 (1 yr) · $39,961 (5 yr) |
| Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science | $38,209 (1 yr) · $11,152 (5 yr) |
| Engineering/Technologies/Technicians | $37,738 (1 yr) · $28,458 (5 yr) |
| Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $36,219 (5 yr) |
Where graduates work in Utah
Industry sectors for Utah-employed graduates (payroll records). Counts combine all program areas at this college.
| Industry | Graduates employed |
|---|---|
| Educational Services | 77 (24.8%) |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 42 (13.5%) |
| Retail Trade | 34 (11.0%) |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 33 (10.6%) |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 32 (10.3%) |
| Public Administration | 25 (8.1%) |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 21 (6.8%) |
| Finance and Insurance | 19 (6.1%) |
Jobs and pay nationwide (U.S. Census)
Transcript-linked earnings and employment across the country. Census PSEO.
| Credential type | Typical pay & graduates with jobs |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | $38,918 after 1 yr · $58,186 after 5 yrs · 7,683 with jobs |
| Master's or professional practice | $66,536 after 1 yr · $78,043 after 5 yrs · 3,075 with jobs |
| Associate's | $26,388 after 1 yr · $48,144 after 5 yrs · 2,187 with jobs |
| Certificate (1–2 years) | $24,637 after 1 yr · N/A after 5 yrs · 323 with jobs |
| Certificate (<1 year) | $37,592 after 1 yr · N/A after 5 yrs · 83 with jobs |
| Credential type | Staying in Utah (1 year after finishing) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 71.8% stayed in Utah · 7,374 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing) |
| Master's or professional practice | 75.1% stayed in Utah · 3,235 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing) |
| Associate's | 85.7% stayed in Utah · 2,023 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing) |
| Certificate (1–2 years) | 60.4% stayed in Utah · 394 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing) |
| Certificate (<1 year) | 29.6% stayed in Utah · 172 with jobs nationwide (1 yr after finishing) |
Most common industries where graduates work, about one year after finishing (all credential types combined).
| Industry | Graduates with jobs (share) |
|---|---|
| Educational services | 3,627 (27.5%) |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,544 (19.3%) |
| Professional and technical services | 1,196 (9.1%) |
| Retail trade | 1,018 (7.7%) |
| Public administration | 736 (5.6%) |
| Finance and insurance | 663 (5.0%) |
| Accommodation and food services | 653 (5.0%) |
| Manufacturing | 536 (4.1%) |
Program areas with the most graduates and reported first-year pay.
| Program area | Typical pay after 1 year |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $25,417 · 1,958 with jobs |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $69,194 · 1,469 with jobs |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | $39,418 · 1,226 with jobs |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $43,504 · 1,121 with jobs |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $65,488 · 870 with jobs |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $56,639 · 774 with jobs |
| Psychology, General | $31,311 · 503 with jobs |
| Communication and Media Studies | $35,672 · 433 with jobs |
Credential-type rows use federal award categories. Compare them within this school, not across different colleges.
Top programs by completions
Typical pay four years after finishing, federal loan debt, and how many students completed each field of study. Rows with too few students are omitted for privacy.
| Field of study | Credential | Typical pay (4 yrs) | Debt | Graduates | Debt vs. pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $44K | $14K | 4,911 | 31% |
| Communication and Media Studies | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | N/A | N/A | 4,911 | N/A |
| Communication and Media Studies | Master's Degree | N/A | N/A | 4,911 | N/A |
| Agriculture, General | Bachelor's Degree | N/A | N/A | 23 | N/A |
| Agricultural Production Operations | Associate's Degree | N/A | N/A | 23 | N/A |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $97K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Air Transportation | Associate's Degree | $88K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Education, General | Master's Degree | $83K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $79K | $11K | N/A | 13% |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $77K | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Completions by award level
9,822 Credentials awarded in the 2023–24 school year (federal completions survey).
| Award level | Completions |
|---|---|
| Associate | 3,560 |
| Bachelor's | 3,542 |
| Doctoral | 1,534 |
| Certificate (1–2 yr) | 1,136 |
| Other award | 50 |
| Graduate certificate | 0 |
Institution finances
Endowment, state tax support (public colleges), and Parent PLUS loans. Endowment values come from IPEDS via College Scorecard. Many small schools do not report them.
Endowment
Endowment market value at the start and end of the most recent fiscal year reported to IPEDS. Endowment per student divides year-end value by undergraduate enrollment.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Endowment (year-end) | $41.8M |
| Endowment (year-start) | $36.5M |
| Change over fiscal year | +$5.3M (+14.6%) |
| Endowment per undergraduate | $4K |
State support (FY 2024)
State tax appropriations from Transparent Utah: what Utah lawmakers budgeted for this public college, not the full operating budget.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| State tax appropriation | $74.5M |
| Budget full-time students (FTE) | 10,931 |
| Appropriation per FTE | $7K |
| Appropriation per credential awarded | $8K |
Parent PLUS loans
Median Parent PLUS loan debt among graduates who borrowed. These are federal loans parents take out, separate from the student's own federal loan debt above.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Median Parent PLUS debt at graduation | $12K |
Institution facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Highest degree offered | Graduate |
| Predominant award | Predominantly associate |
| Accreditor | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities |
| Campus setting | Town, remote |
| Address | 351 West University Blvd, 84720 |
Related Utah research
- Part 3: Early-Career Earnings by Utah Pathway Type
- Part 4: Where Utah Students Start
- Part 5: Net Price Reality for Utah Families
- Part 7: Completion Rates Across Utah Institutions
- Part 8: Student Debt vs. Early Earnings
Data sources
- U.S. College Scorecard (school-wide outcomes)
- IPEDS directory (2023–24)
- IPEDS tuition and costs (2023–24)
- IPEDS completions (2023–24 award year)
- Transparent Utah appropriations (USHE)
- USHE Graduate Workforce Outcomes dashboard
- USHE graduate workforce outcomes, wage growth (Utah)
- USHE graduate workforce outcomes, industries (Utah)
- Census LEHD Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO)
- IPEDS finance survey endowment (via College Scorecard)
- College Scorecard Parent PLUS loan medians
Methodology · UNITID 230603