Dakota State vs. USD

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

Dakota State USD
Location Madison, SD Vermillion, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,241 9,856
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #808 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dsu.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Dakota State USD
Tuition (In State) $7,616 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $10,718 $11,283
Room & Board $8,018 $8,224
Avg Net Price $17,977 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $5,467 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 79%

Admission

Dakota State USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 882 4,480
Admitted 696 4,456
Acceptance Rate 78.9% 99.5%
Enrolled % 53.4% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/27 19/25
SAT Range 940/1240 1020/1300
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

Dakota State USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Dakota State USD
Graduation Rate 34% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $242 $258

Diversity

Dakota State USD
% Men 64% 37%
% Women 36% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 84% 85%
% Black 4% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Dakota State USD
% In-State 58% 54%
% Out-of-State 39% 43%

Campus

Dakota State USD
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

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 3,241 students)

Dakota State vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dakota State or USD?

  • University of South Dakota is 2.1% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($7,773.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.3% higher at USD than Dakota State University ($11,283.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than USD ($17,977 vs. $18,378)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 2.6% lower than costs at University of South Dakota ($8,018 vs. $8,224)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than University of South Dakota (92% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Dakota students is 15.4% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($6,308 vs. $5,467)

Dakota State vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Dakota (1049) is 2 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Dakota State students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman USD students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.43) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

Dakota State vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USD is higher than Dakota State University (47% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $6,000 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $42,200)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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