BLC vs. Dakota State

Should I go to Bethany Lutheran College or Dakota State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if BLC or Dakota State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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South Dakota State University Dakota Wesleyan University WLC USD Augustana
Bethany Lutheran College vs. Dakota State University comparison
Bethany Lutheran College Dakota State University College 3 College 4
Dakota State University
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Overview

 BLC Dakota State
Location Mankato, MN Madison, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 830 3,241
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #808
Religious Affiliation Other (none of the above) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website blc.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 BLC Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $28,330 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $28,330 $10,718
Room & Board $8,270 $8,018
Avg Net Price $18,525 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $20,705 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 BLC Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 665 882
Admitted 389 696
Acceptance Rate 58.5% 78.9%
Enrolled % 45.2% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.51 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/25 19/27
SAT Range 990/1290 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2024

Academics

 BLC Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 BLC Dakota State
Graduation Rate 53% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,300 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $242

Diversity

 BLC Dakota State
% Men 48% 64%
% Women 52% 36%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 84%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 BLC Dakota State
% In-State 59% 58%
% Out-of-State 23% 39%

Campus

 BLC Dakota State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Dakota State University is larger than than BLC based on total student enrollment (3,241 students vs. 830 students)

BLC vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BLC or Dakota State?

  • Bethany Lutheran College is 272% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($28,330.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 164.3% higher at BLC than Dakota State University ($28,330.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than BLC ($17,977 vs. $18,525)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 3.1% lower than costs at Bethany Lutheran College ($8,018 vs. $8,270)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bethany Lutheran College than Dakota State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bethany Lutheran College students is 278.7% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($20,705 vs. $5,467)

BLC vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, BLC or Dakota State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Dakota State or BLC .

  • The average SAT score at Bethany Lutheran College (1074) is 27 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming BLC students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman BLC students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.51) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than BLC (58.5%)

BLC vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BLC or Dakota State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Dakota State and BLC.

  • The graduation rate at BLC is higher than Dakota State University (53% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $4,900 more per year than BLC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $37,300)
  • Bethany Lutheran College students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,500)
  • BLC graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($240 vs. $242)
  • More BLC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/