Dort vs. USD

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

Dort USD
Location Sioux Center, IA Vermillion, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,861 9,856
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #486 #597
Religious Affiliation Christian Reformed Church - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dordt.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Dort USD
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $11,283
Room & Board $10,990 $8,224
Avg Net Price $27,375 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $21,920 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

Dort USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,476 4,480
Admitted 1,294 4,456
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 99.5%
Enrolled % 34.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.43
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/25
SAT Range 1020/1260 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

Dort USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (23%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Agriculture (6%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Dort USD
Graduation Rate 60% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,300 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $258

Diversity

Dort USD
% Men 47% 37%
% Women 53% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 73% 85%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 0% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 7% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 9% 2%
% Unknown Race 8% 0%

Students

Dort USD
% In-State 39% 54%
% Out-of-State 50% 43%

Campus

Dort USD
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Dakota is larger than than Dort based on total student enrollment (9,856 students vs. 1,861 students)

Dort vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Dort or USD?

  • Dordt College is 337.4% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 201.3% higher at Dort than University of South Dakota ($34,000.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Dort ($18,378 vs. $27,375)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 33.6% lower than costs at Dordt College ($8,224 vs. $10,990)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dordt College than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Dordt College students is 247.5% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($21,920 vs. $6,308)

Dort vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Dordt College (1159) is 110 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Dort students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Dort students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than Dort (87.7%)

Dort vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Dort 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 Dort.

  • The graduation rate at Dort is higher than University of South Dakota (60% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $4,900 more per year than Dort graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $43,300)
  • Dordt College students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($23,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Dort graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($237 vs. $258)
  • More Dort graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 70%)

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