Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) vs Ridgewater College

Dakota County Technical College and Ridgewater College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Minnesota, offer diverse educational opportunities to students seeking career-focused programs. While they share a commitment to excellence, these colleges have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Dakota County Technical College boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students with varying academic backgrounds. Ridgewater College, on the other hand, has a slightly higher graduation rate, indicating its dedication to student success and completion. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these colleges, including popular majors, student body demographics, and more, to make an informed decision that aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.

	Dakota County Technical College	Ridgewater College
Overview
Location	Rosemount, Minnesota	Willmar, Minnesota
Campus setting	Rural: Fringe	Town: Remote
College type	2 year	2 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
Students retention rate	65.0%	64.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	Open Admission	Open Admission
Application fees	$20
SAT range	N/A	N/A
ACT range	N/A	N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants
Total number of admissions given out
Admitted students who chose to enroll
Yield rate
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		Not required
High school GPA	N/A	N/A
Recommendation letters	N/A	N/A
High school transcript	N/A	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$20,290	$19,335
Average net price	$11,472	$11,014
Tuition	$5,565	$5,288
Room & board
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	61.0% Average amount $4,483	65.0% Average amount $4,966
Students receiving federal student loan	32.0% Average amount $5,248	31.0% Average amount $4,823
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $6,415	1.0% Average amount $8,646

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,451 Men 55.2% Women 44.8%	2,846 Men 37.5% Women 62.5%
Graduate students	N/A	N/A
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	0.2%	0.3%
Campus local/setting	Rural: Fringe	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	N/A	N/A
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	N/A
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Business Automotive Technology Construction Trades Precision Production	Health Professions Agriculture Engineering Technologies Construction Trades Business
Students to faculty ratio	21:1	19:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	54.0%	45.4%
Dropout rate	31.2%	34.6%
Transferred out	10.8%	14.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $56,957 Year 2: $60,771 Year 3: $65,246 Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $51,224 Year 2: $56,234 Year 3: $60,855 Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $51,251 Year 2: $47,494 Year 3: $59,642 Electrical and Power Transmission Installers (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $47,542 Year 2: $47,260 Year 3: $57,307 Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $46,413 Year 2: $50,677 Year 3: $51,890 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $44,355 Year 2: $44,858 Year 3: $45,837 Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $40,625 Year 2: $38,829 Year 3: $42,939 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $41,086 Year 2: $43,240 Year 3: $42,708 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $52,869 Year 2: $44,542 Year 3: $42,674 Dental Support Services and Allied Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $40,099 Year 2: $34,259 Year 3: $37,776	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $62,271 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $67,045 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $53,281 Year 2: $54,109 Year 3: $58,414 Precision Metal Working (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $42,048 Year 2: $42,363 Year 3: $46,759 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $25,109 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $38,818 Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $34,040 Year 2: $36,560 Year 3: $37,448 Agricultural Business and Management (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $39,627 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $36,604 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $27,555 Year 2: $33,565 Year 3: $34,846 Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Undergraduate Certificates or Diplomas) Year 1: $34,790 Year 2: $24,421 Year 3: $31,271 Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $29,549 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $28,764 Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,443 Year 3: N/A

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Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) vs Ridgewater College

Dakota County Technical College

Ridgewater College

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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