Dakota Wesleyan University vs MSU Billings

Dakota Wesleyan University and Montana State University Billings, two distinct institutions of higher learning, offer unique educational experiences to prospective students. Dakota Wesleyan, a private university in Mitchell, South Dakota, boasts a small, close-knit community with an acceptance rate of 85% and a focus on liberal arts and sciences. Montana State University Billings, a public university in Billings, Montana, offers a wider range of academic programs, including professional fields like nursing and business, and has a higher acceptance rate of 98%. While both universities provide a supportive learning environment, Dakota Wesleyan's smaller student body may appeal to those seeking a more personalized educational experience, while Montana State University Billings' larger size and diverse student population may be attractive to those seeking a more vibrant campus life. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more distinctions between these two institutions and make an informed decision about your academic journey.

	Dakota Wesleyan University	Montana State University Billings
Overview
Location	Mitchell, South Dakota	Billings, Montana
Campus setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
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%	57.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	75.7%	Open Admission
Application fees	$110	$40
SAT range	860 - 1100	N/A
ACT range	19 - 25	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	3.0%
Students submitting ACT score	60.0%
Total number of applicants	1,047
Total number of admissions given out	793
Admitted students who chose to enroll	169
Yield rate	21.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A
High school GPA	Required	N/A
Recommendation letters	Not required	N/A
High school transcript	Not required	N/A
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	N/A

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$43,080	In state: $20,258 Out of state: $33,588
Average net price	$21,830	$12,626
Tuition	$29,700	In state: $4,485 Out of state: $17,678
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,350 Meal plan: $4,200	Room/dormitory: $4,096 Meal plan: $3,860
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	100.0% Average amount $18,033	85.0% Average amount $5,151
Students receiving federal student loan	92.0% Average amount $5,049	42.0% Average amount $4,398
Students taking out private loans	26.0% Average amount $13,323	1.0% Average amount $10,623

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	770 Men 42.9% Women 57.1%	3,728 Men 35.8% Women 64.2%
Graduate students	156 Men 35.3% Women 64.7%	386 Men 23.6% Women 76.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	11.6%
International students	1.1%	1.6%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	520	480
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Montana Washington California Wyoming Idaho

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Education Law Enforcement and Firefighting Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Health Professions Education Liberal Arts Business Automotive Technology
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	15:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome
Graduation rate	54.9%	28.1%
Dropout rate	38.3%	41.6%
Transferred out	6.9%	25.2%
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 (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $58,668 Year 2: $58,402 Year 3: $56,921 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,844 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $45,907 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,616 Year 2: $32,284 Year 3: $35,732 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,524 Year 2: $29,250 Year 3: $34,494 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,992 Year 2: $43,993 Year 3: $33,515 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,890 Year 3: $33,438 Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,495 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,775 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's Degrees) Year 1: $48,100 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A

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