Dakota State vs. UTC

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

 Dakota State UTC
Location Madison, SD Chattanooga, TN
Setting Distant Town Midsize City
Enrollment 3,241 11,283
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #808 #788
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dsu.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Dakota State UTC
Tuition (In State) $7,616 $7,992
Tuition (Out of State) $10,718 $24,110
Room & Board $8,018 $9,500
Avg Net Price $17,977 $14,417
Avg Grant Aid $5,467 $9,309
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 94%

Admission

 Dakota State UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 882 8,345
Admitted 696 6,897
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 82.6%
Enrolled % 53.4% 32.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 20/26
SAT Range 940/1240 1023/1210
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 May 1, 2024

Academics

 Dakota State UTC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

 Dakota State UTC
Graduation Rate 34% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $242 $214

Diversity

 Dakota State UTC
% Men 64% 42%
% Women 36% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 75%
% Black 4% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 7%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 Dakota State UTC
% In-State 58% 89%
% Out-of-State 39% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (11,283 students vs. 3,241 students)

Dakota State vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dakota State or UTC?

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is 4.9% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($7,992.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 124.9% higher at UTC than Dakota State University ($24,110.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Dakota State ($14,417 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 18.5% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($8,018 vs. $9,500)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga than Dakota State University (94% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 70.3% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,309 vs. $5,467)

Dakota State vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 40 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • UTC has a higher acceptance rate (82.6%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

Dakota State vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dakota State or UTC? 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 UTC and Dakota State.

  • The graduation rate at UTC is higher than Dakota State University (39% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than UTC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $40,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $2,708 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($20,792 vs. $23,500)
  • UTC graduates are paying $28 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($214 vs. $242)
  • More Dakota State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UTC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 56%)

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