Central College vs. Dakota State

Should I go to Central College or Dakota State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Central College 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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Central College vs. Dakota State University comparison
Central College Dakota State University College 3 College 4
Central College Dakota State University
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Overview

Central College Dakota State
Location Pella, IA Madison, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,169 3,241
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #519 #808
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website central.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Central College Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $19,800 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $19,800 $10,718
Room & Board $10,860 $8,018
Avg Net Price $23,303 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $10,999 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

Central College Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,970 882
Admitted 1,561 696
Acceptance Rate 79.2% 78.9%
Enrolled % 22.5% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.52 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/26 19/27
SAT Range 1040/1218 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

Academics

Central College Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

Central College Dakota State
Graduation Rate 63% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

Central College Dakota State
% Men 52% 64%
% Women 48% 36%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 84%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

Central College Dakota State
% In-State 73% 58%
% Out-of-State 26% 39%

Campus

Central College 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 Central College based on total student enrollment (3,241 students vs. 1,169 students)

Central College vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Central College or Dakota State?

  • Central College is 160% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($19,800.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.7% higher at Central College than Dakota State University ($19,800.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Central College ($17,977 vs. $23,303)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 35.4% lower than costs at Central College ($8,018 vs. $10,860)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Central College than Dakota State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central College students is 101.2% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($10,999 vs. $5,467)

Central College vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Central College (1068) is 21 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Central College students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Central College students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.52) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Central College has a higher acceptance rate (79.2%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

Central College vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Central College 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 Central College.

  • The graduation rate at Central College is higher than Dakota State University (63% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Central College earn on average $5,800 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $42,200)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Central College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Central College graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More Central College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 67%)

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