Northwestern College vs. Dakota State

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

 Northwestern College Dakota State
Location Orange City, IA Madison, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,651 3,241
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #638 #808
Religious Affiliation Reformed Church in America - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website nwciowa.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Northwestern College Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $34,000 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $34,000 $10,718
Room & Board $10,200 $8,018
Avg Net Price $25,198 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $22,228 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 Northwestern College Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,105 882
Admitted 965 696
Acceptance Rate 87.3% 78.9%
Enrolled % 29.8% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/27
SAT Range 940/1240 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline

Academics

 Northwestern College Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 Northwestern College Dakota State
Graduation Rate 66% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 85% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,092 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $259 $242

Diversity

 Northwestern College Dakota State
% Men 39% 64%
% Women 61% 36%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 83% 84%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Northwestern College Dakota State
% In-State 55% 58%
% Out-of-State 42% 39%

Campus

 Northwestern 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 Northwestern College based on total student enrollment (3,241 students vs. 1,651 students)

Northwestern College vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

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

  • Northwestern College is 346.4% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($34,000.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 217.2% higher at Northwestern College than Dakota State University ($34,000.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Northwestern College ($17,977 vs. $25,198)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 27.2% lower than costs at Northwestern College ($8,018 vs. $10,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern College than Dakota State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern College students is 306.6% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($22,228 vs. $5,467)

Northwestern College vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern College (1141) is 94 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Northwestern College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern College students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Northwestern College has a higher acceptance rate (87.3%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

Northwestern College vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern College.

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern College is higher than Dakota State University (66% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $3,800 more per year than Northwestern College graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $38,400)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $1,592 lower median federal student loan debt than Northwestern College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,092)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Northwestern College graduates. ($242 vs. $259)
  • More Northwestern College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 67%)

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