MSU-ND vs Valley City State University (VCSU)

Minot State University and Valley City State University, both esteemed institutions in North Dakota, offer distinct educational experiences. Minot State, with an acceptance rate of 99%, welcomes a diverse student body, while Valley City State maintains a slightly more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 95%. Minot State's larger student population boasts a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors like Business, Education, and Nursing, while Valley City State excels in fields such as Agriculture, Business, and Education. Both universities prioritize student success, with Minot State achieving a graduation rate of 42% and Valley City State reaching a commendable 38%. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Minot State University logo

Minot State University

Valley City State University logo

Valley City State University

Overview

Location Minot, North Dakota Valley City, North 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 73.0% 61.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 88.4% 81.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $35
SAT range 990 - 1200 935 - 1190
ACT range 17 - 23 17 - 23
Students submitting SAT score 9.0% 7.0%
Students submitting ACT score 73.0% 68.0%
Total number of applicants 551 442
Total number of admissions given out 487 360
Admitted students who chose to enroll 374 196
Yield rate 76.8% 54.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $19,806
In state: $20,016

Out of state: $24,790
Average net price $12,935 $13,243
Tuition $6,892
In state: $6,364

Out of state: $11,138
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $2,991

Meal plan: $3,900
Room/dormitory: $2,505

Meal plan: $4,414
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

90.0%
Average amount $4,523
99.0%
Average amount $5,907
Students receiving federal student loan 54.0%
Average amount $4,932
66.0%
Average amount $4,794
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $6,948
17.0%
Average amount $6,743

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 2,576
Men 36.4% Women 63.6%
1,523
Men 41.8% Women 58.2%
Graduate students 260
Men 26.5% Women 73.5%
163
Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A 36.9%
International students 11.0% 1.3%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 652 462
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 Alaska Hawaii Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Education
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 46.5% 53.2%
Dropout rate 22.6% 17.9%
Transferred out 26.1% 28.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,254
  • Year 2: $63,666
  • Year 3: $62,648
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,682
  • Year 3: $50,051
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,637
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $44,498
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,645
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: $44,344
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,233
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $44,321
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,171
  • Year 2: $41,565
  • Year 3: $42,198
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,612
  • Year 2: $38,829
  • Year 3: $42,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,581
  • Year 2: $38,649
  • Year 3: $39,128
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,667
  • Year 3: N/A
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,673
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,075
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $56,925
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,447
  • Year 2: $43,000
  • Year 3: $45,538
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,584
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $43,994
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,217
  • Year 2: $37,537
  • Year 3: $43,180
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,083
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $41,045
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A