ISU vs. Dakota State

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

 ISU Dakota State
Location Ames, IA Madison, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 29,969 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #352 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iastate.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ISU Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $8,678 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $25,162 $10,718
Room & Board $9,358 $8,018
Avg Net Price $15,310 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $11,043 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 92%

Admission

 ISU Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,919 882
Admitted 19,776 696
Acceptance Rate 90.2% 78.9%
Enrolled % 29% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 19/27
SAT Range 1090/1350 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

 ISU Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 ISU Dakota State
Graduation Rate 68% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,868 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $246 $242

Diversity

 ISU Dakota State
% Men 55% 64%
% Women 45% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 84%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

 ISU Dakota State
% In-State 52% 58%
% Out-of-State 45% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Iowa State University is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (29,969 students vs. 3,241 students)

ISU vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ISU or Dakota State?

  • Iowa State University is 13.9% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($8,678.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.8% higher at ISU than Dakota State University ($25,162.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than Dakota State ($15,310 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 16.7% lower than costs at Iowa State University ($8,018 vs. $9,358)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than Iowa State University (92% vs. 80%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 102% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($11,043 vs. $5,467)

ISU vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Iowa State University (1142) is 95 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming ISU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

ISU vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ISU 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 ISU.

  • The graduation rate at ISU is higher than Dakota State University (68% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Iowa State University earn on average $11,500 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $42,200)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $23,868)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($242 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 67%)

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