Dickinson State vs NSU-Aberdeen

Dickinson State University and Northern State University, both located in the heart of the Northern Plains, offer distinct educational experiences for students seeking higher education. Dickinson State University, nestled in the vibrant city of Dickinson, North Dakota, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Northern State University, situated in the charming town of Aberdeen, South Dakota, stands out with its higher graduation rate, indicating a strong commitment to student success. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, Dickinson State University is known for its strengths in business and education, while Northern State University excels in nursing and health sciences. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, popular majors, and additional factors that may influence your decision in choosing the best fit for your academic and personal aspirations.

	Dickinson State University	Northern State University
Overview
Location	Dickinson, North Dakota	Aberdeen, South Dakota
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%	68.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	99.3%	79.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $35 Graduate: $35	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35
SAT range	923 - 1063	1020 - 1190
ACT range	16 - 22	18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score	4.0%	5.0%
Students submitting ACT score	63.0%	80.0%
Total number of applicants	459	1,229
Total number of admissions given out	456	981
Admitted students who chose to enroll	269	337
Yield rate	59.0%	34.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $20,322 Out of state: $22,142	In state: $23,495 Out of state: $26,597
Average net price	$15,607	$16,821
Tuition	In state: $6,474 Out of state: $8,294	In state: $7,616 Out of state: $10,718
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,000 Meal plan: $4,500	Room/dormitory: $4,800 Meal plan: $4,350
Available payment plans		Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	96.0% Average amount $5,352	89.0% Average amount $5,662
Students receiving federal student loan	53.0% Average amount $4,882	65.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	13.0% Average amount $8,989	10.0% Average amount $9,043

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	1,337 Men 43.2% Women 56.8%	2,867 Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students	78 Men 52.6% Women 47.4%	473 Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	50.2%	38.9%
International students	3.4%	2.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Remote	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	397	853
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	South Dakota Minnesota North Dakota Iowa Wisconsin

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Health Professions Education Agriculture Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Business Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	36.4%	47.6%
Dropout rate	29.4%	25.4%
Transferred out	32.1%	22.9%
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	Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $49,248 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,021 Year 3: $46,732 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,902 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $46,239 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,575 Year 3: $45,796 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,996 Year 2: $40,728 Year 3: $45,442 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,033 Year 2: $39,523 Year 3: $39,953 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,526 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $39,845 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,862 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,824 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,740 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: N/A

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