North Dakota State University-Main Campus (NDSU) vs CWU-Ellensburg
North Dakota State University-Main Campus and Central Washington University, located in Fargo, North Dakota, and Ellensburg, Washington, respectively, offer distinct educational experiences. NDSU boasts a higher acceptance rate (88%) compared to CWU (76%), making it a more accessible option for prospective students. While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, NDSU excels in engineering, agriculture, and nursing, while CWU is known for its strong programs in education, business, and aviation. NDSU's student body is predominantly White (78%) and female (56%), while CWU's student population is more diverse, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (18%) and male (52%) students. With similar graduation rates (62% for NDSU and 61% for CWU), both universities provide students with the necessary support to achieve their academic goals. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions and make an
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![]() Central Washington University |
![]() North Dakota State University-Main Campus |
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Overview |
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Location | Ellensburg, Washington | Fargo, North Dakota |
Campus setting | Town: Distant | City: Midsize |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Quarter | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate and Graduate |
Students retention rate | 69.0% | 76.0% |
![]() |
Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 88.4% | 95.5% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$60
Graduate:
$75
|
Undergraduate:
$35
Graduate:
$35
|
SAT range | N/A | 1096 - 1313 |
ACT range | N/A | 20 - 26 |
Students submitting SAT score | 1.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 63.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 10,767 | 8,143 |
Total number of admissions given out | 9,523 | 7,773 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 1,371 | 2,491 |
Yield rate | 14.4% | 32.0% |
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) | Not required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$22,248
Out of state:
$38,776
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In state:
$23,879
Out of state:
$28,354
|
Average net price | $17,645 | $16,677 |
Tuition |
In state:
$6,656
Out of state:
$23,184
|
In state:
$8,951
Out of state:
$13,426
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Room & board |
Room/dormitory:
$7,645
Meal plan:
$7,957
|
Room/dormitory:
$4,100
Meal plan:
$4,778
|
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
80.0%
Average amount $7,378 |
91.0%
Average amount $4,089 |
Students receiving federal student loan |
41.0%
Average amount $4,834 |
60.0%
Average amount $5,226 |
Students taking out private loans |
2.0%
Average amount $14,197 |
28.0%
Average amount $11,868 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
9,566
Men 47.0% Women 53.0% |
10,199
Men 49.8% Women 50.2% |
Graduate students |
610
Men 37.4% Women 62.6% |
2,262
Men 47.4% Women 52.6% |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Moderate
|
Very Low
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Out-of-state students | 6.7% | 64.0% |
International students | 2.7% | 5.5% |
Campus local/setting | Town: Distant | City: Midsize |
Dormitory capacity | 3,755 | 5,563 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | No |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | Washington California Oregon Hawaii Arkansas | Minnesota North Dakota Wisconsin South Dakota California |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 15:1 | 18:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 53.6% | 64.9% |
Dropout rate | 44.0% | 10.7% |
Transferred out | N/A | 22.3% |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees)
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Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Construction Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Agricultural Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Industrial Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
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