Dakota Wesleyan University vs Dickinson State

Dakota Wesleyan University and Dickinson State University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Dakota Wesleyan, a private university in Mitchell, South Dakota, boasts a 90% acceptance rate, while Dickinson State, a public university in Dickinson, North Dakota, has a slightly lower acceptance rate of 85%. Dakota Wesleyan's student body is predominantly female (60%), while Dickinson State's is more evenly balanced (52% female, 48% male). Both universities offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Education, and Nursing, but Dakota Wesleyan also features programs in Music and Art, while Dickinson State emphasizes Health Sciences and Engineering. With graduation rates of 45% and 38% respectively, both universities are committed to student success. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these two excellent universities and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Dakota Wesleyan University logo

Dakota Wesleyan University

Dickinson State University logo

Dickinson State University

Overview

Location Mitchell, South Dakota Dickinson, North Dakota
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 71.0% 65.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.7% 99.3%
Application fees $110
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $35
SAT range 860 - 1100 923 - 1063
ACT range 19 - 25 16 - 22
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0% 63.0%
Total number of applicants 1,047 459
Total number of admissions given out 793 456
Admitted students who chose to enroll 169 269
Yield rate 21.3% 59.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $43,080
In state: $20,322

Out of state: $22,142
Average net price $21,830 $15,607
Tuition $29,700
In state: $6,474

Out of state: $8,294
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,350

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $3,000

Meal plan: $4,500
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,033
96.0%
Average amount $5,352
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $5,049
53.0%
Average amount $4,882
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $13,323
13.0%
Average amount $8,989

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 770
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
1,337
Men 43.2% Women 56.8%
Graduate students 156
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
78
Men 52.6% Women 47.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 50.2%
International students 1.1% 3.4%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 520 397
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A North Dakota Montana Wyoming South Dakota California

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Agriculture
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.9% 36.4%
Dropout rate 38.3% 29.4%
Transferred out 6.9% 32.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,155
  • Year 2: $57,603
  • Year 3: $64,357
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $55,254
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $42,345
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $39,391
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,046
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,416
  • Year 3: N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,623
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,558
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $55,198
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,445
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $50,127
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,657
  • Year 2: $41,789
  • Year 3: $45,890
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,396
  • Year 2: $38,597
  • Year 3: $43,780
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,832
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $43,117
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,405
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $42,677
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $40,621
  • Year 3: $41,233
Agriculture, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,348
  • Year 2: $37,748
  • Year 3: N/A
Data Processing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $45,696
  • Year 3: N/A
Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,525
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A

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