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Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota South Dakota State University Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse Lewis and Clark| St Olaf College | Dakota State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Madison, SD | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 3,046 | 3,241 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #156 | #808 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | dsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,650 | $7,616 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,650 | $10,718 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,450 | $8,018 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $26,171 | $17,977 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $40,399 | $5,467 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 99% | 92% |
Admission |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,524 | 882 | ||
| Admitted | 3,116 | 696 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 56.4% | 78.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 27.9% | 53.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.33 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 19/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1300/1480 | 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 | Jan 15, 2024 |
Academics |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 34% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $42,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 67% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $242 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 42% | 64% | ||
| % Women | 58% | 36% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
St Olaf | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 39% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | 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 St Olaf based on total student enrollment (3,241 students vs. 3,046 students)
St Olaf vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Dakota State?
- St Olaf College is 617.6% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $7,616.00)
- Out of state tuition is 409.9% higher at St Olaf than Dakota State University ($54,650.00 vs. $10,718.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than St Olaf ($17,977 vs. $26,171)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 55.3% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($8,018 vs. $12,450)
- More students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College than Dakota State University (99% vs. 92%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 639% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($40,399 vs. $5,467)
St Olaf vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf or Dakota State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Dakota State or St Olaf .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 235 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Dakota State (23)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
- Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than St Olaf (56.4%)
St Olaf vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf 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 St Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Dakota State University (85% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from St Olaf College 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 $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
- Dakota State graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/