Dakota Wesleyan University vs South Dakota University

Dakota Wesleyan University and the University of South Dakota, both esteemed institutions in South Dakota, offer distinct educational experiences. Dakota Wesleyan, a private university, boasts a tight-knit community with a 98% acceptance rate, while the University of South Dakota, a public research university, has a broader reach with a 90% acceptance rate. Dakota Wesleyan's popular majors include Business, Education, and Nursing, while the University of South Dakota offers a wider range of programs, including Engineering, Law, and Medicine. Explore the comparison table to discover more about the student body demographics, graduation rates, and other key differences between these two universities to find the best fit for your academic aspirations.
Dakota Wesleyan University logo

Dakota Wesleyan University

University of South Dakota logo

University of South Dakota

Overview

Location Mitchell, South Dakota Vermillion, South Dakota
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Distant
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% 77.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.7% 87.0%
Application fees $110
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
SAT range 860 - 1100 1050 - 1290
ACT range 19 - 25 19 - 25
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 3.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0% 80.0%
Total number of applicants 1,047 4,272
Total number of admissions given out 793 3,717
Admitted students who chose to enroll 169 1,233
Yield rate 21.3% 33.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not 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
In state: $25,657

Out of state: $29,167
Average net price $21,830 $18,974
Tuition $29,700
In state: $7,773

Out of state: $11,283
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,350

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $4,366

Meal plan: $4,234
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,033
84.0%
Average amount $5,196
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $5,049
60.0%
Average amount $5,102
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $13,323
14.0%
Average amount $9,890

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 770
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
6,987
Men 35.9% Women 64.1%
Graduate students 156
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
2,477
Men 37.2% Women 62.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 39.4%
International students 1.1% 2.7%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity 520 2,154
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A South Dakota Iowa Nebraska Minnesota Wisconsin

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.9% 60.1%
Dropout rate 38.3% 14.2%
Transferred out 6.9% 24.5%
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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,722
  • Year 2: $100,951
  • Year 3: $109,099
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $88,473
  • Year 2: $97,071
  • Year 3: $100,634
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,587
  • Year 2: $68,778
  • Year 3: $81,751
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $70,456
  • Year 3: $69,478
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,040
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $68,456
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,011
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $68,011
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $62,632
  • Year 3: $64,788
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,801
  • Year 2: $65,170
  • Year 3: $64,105
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $52,161
  • Year 2: $62,260
  • Year 3: $63,921
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,986
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $61,718

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