Dickinson State vs MSU-Northern

Dickinson State University (DSU) and Montana State University-Northern (MSU-N) are two public universities located in the northern plains of the United States. Both institutions offer a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs, but there are some key differences between the two schools. DSU has a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while MSU-N has a higher graduation rate and a more diverse student population. Additionally, the two schools offer different popular majors, with DSU specializing in business and education and MSU-N specializing in agriculture and nursing. To help you make an informed decision about which school is the best fit for you, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that highlights the key differences between DSU and MSU-N.
Dickinson State University logo

Dickinson State University

Montana State University-Northern logo

Montana State University-Northern

Overview

Location Dickinson, North Dakota Havre, Montana
Campus setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 65.0% 70.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 99.3% 100.0%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $30
SAT range 923 - 1063 N/A
ACT range 16 - 22 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 4.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0%
Total number of applicants 459 604
Total number of admissions given out 456 604
Admitted students who chose to enroll 269 189
Yield rate 59.0% 31.3%
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
In state: $20,322

Out of state: $22,142
In state: $18,255

Out of state: $30,965
Average net price $15,607 $10,954
Tuition
In state: $6,474

Out of state: $8,294
In state: $4,496

Out of state: $17,096
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,000

Meal plan: $4,500
Room/dormitory: $2,470

Meal plan: $4,050
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

96.0%
Average amount $5,352
92.0%
Average amount $6,857
Students receiving federal student loan 53.0%
Average amount $4,882
45.0%
Average amount $4,649
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $8,989
1.0%
Average amount $11,383

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,337
Men 43.2% Women 56.8%
1,008
Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
Graduate students 78
Men 52.6% Women 47.4%
42
Men 23.8% Women 76.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 50.2% N/A
International students 3.4% N/A
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 397 300
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from North Dakota Montana Wyoming South Dakota California N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Agriculture
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Automotive Technology
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Agriculture
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 14:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 36.4% 31.3%
Dropout rate 29.4% 67.3%
Transferred out 32.1% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,917
  • Year 2: $66,461
  • Year 3: $64,057
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,578
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $61,754
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,860
  • Year 3: $61,499
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $51,607
  • Year 3: $52,750
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,870
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $36,394
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,097
  • Year 2: $32,925
  • Year 3: $33,261
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $33,282
  • Year 2: $36,134
  • Year 3: N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: N/A

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