Chadron State College

Public · NE

Photo: Ammodramus (CC0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationNE · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads1,540

Student:faculty15:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate34.3%

6-yr grad rate50.4%

Drop-out rate36.8%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$8k

Out-of-state tuition$8k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity23.4%

Gender diversity65.3%

International2%

Identity—

Overview

Chadron State College sits in the Pine Ridge country of Nebraska's northwestern panhandle, functioning as the primary four-year public option for a vast, sparsely populated rural region spanning parts of Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota.

Academics

Education is a longstanding strength, training many of the teachers who staff rural Nebraska and neighboring-state schools, alongside solid programs in rangeland management and agriculture that draw directly on the surrounding ranching economy. Class sizes are small, and affordability is a central part of the college's identity and appeal.

Campus & student life

The campus sits at the edge of buttes and ponderosa pine forest, giving it a genuinely rugged, outdoors-oriented setting unlike most state colleges. Rodeo is a serious and well-supported activity, reflecting the ranching culture of the surrounding panhandle, and outdoor recreation more broadly is part of everyday student life.

Getting in

Chadron State is accessible by design, serving as the practical option for students across a wide rural catchment area, with admission standards oriented toward regional access rather than competitive selectivity.

Worth knowing

The rodeo team and program are a genuine point of pride and regional draw, and the remote panhandle location means students should expect real distance from any sizable city.

csc.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot reported

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying