Dakota Wesleyan University vs University of Mary (UMary)

Dakota Wesleyan University and University of Mary, both located in South Dakota, offer distinct educational experiences. Dakota Wesleyan, a private institution, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to University of Mary's 67%. While Dakota Wesleyan's student body is predominantly female (60%), University of Mary has a more balanced gender ratio. Both universities offer a range of popular majors, including Business, Education, and Nursing, but Dakota Wesleyan excels in the liberal arts, while University of Mary emphasizes professional programs. With a higher graduation rate (62%) and a smaller student-to-faculty ratio (13:1), Dakota Wesleyan provides a more personalized learning environment. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Dakota Wesleyan University logo

Dakota Wesleyan University

University of Mary logo

University of Mary

Overview

Location Mitchell, South Dakota Bismarck, North Dakota
Campus setting Town: Remote Rural: Fringe
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 71.0% 77.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation Methodism Catholic

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.7% 78.8%
Application fees $110
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $45
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 1,532
Total number of admissions given out 793 1,207
Admitted students who chose to enroll 169 510
Yield rate 21.3% 42.3%
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 Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $43,080 $35,370
Average net price $21,830 $19,474
Tuition $29,700 $18,340
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,350

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $3,690

Meal plan: $4,300
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,033
100.0%
Average amount $11,954
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $5,049
65.0%
Average amount $5,176
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $13,323
20.0%
Average amount $10,222

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 770
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
2,579
Men 41.5% Women 58.5%
Graduate students 156
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
1,215
Men 30.4% Women 69.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 64.5%
International students 1.1% 0.1%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Rural: Fringe
Dormitory capacity 520 1,325
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 Minnesota Wisconsin California Montana

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.9% 64.3%
Dropout rate 38.3% 31.5%
Transferred out 6.9% 2.5%
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 (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,755
  • Year 2: $94,408
  • Year 3: $91,441
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,785
  • Year 2: $60,230
  • Year 3: $65,123
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,166
  • Year 2: $54,359
  • Year 3: $62,069
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,298
  • Year 2: $63,997
  • Year 3: $59,512
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,302
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,222
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $30,750
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,281
  • Year 3: N/A
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,621
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,370
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: N/A

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