St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University

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

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
Location Northfield, MN Mitchell, SD
Setting Distant Town Remote Town
Enrollment 3,046 887
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #156
Religious Affiliation Evangelical Lutheran Church United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stolaf.edu dwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
Tuition (In State) $54,650 $30,700
Tuition (Out of State) $54,650 $30,700
Room & Board $12,450 $7,450
Avg Net Price $26,171 $19,825
Avg Grant Aid $40,399 $21,097
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,524 1,209
Admitted 3,116 904
Acceptance Rate 56.4% 74.8%
Enrolled % 27.9% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 18/24
SAT Range 1300/1480 950/1420
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 Aug 27, 2024

Academics

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Physical Sciences (8%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
Graduation Rate 85% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,700 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,533
Median Loan Payment $279 $274

Diversity

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
% Men 42% 46%
% Women 58% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 75% 88%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
% In-State 47% 61%
% Out-of-State 43% 35%

Campus

St Olaf Dakota Wesleyan University
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

  • St Olaf College is larger than than Dakota Wesleyan University based on total student enrollment (3,046 students vs. 887 students)

St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Dakota Wesleyan University?

  • St Olaf College is 78% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($54,650.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 78% higher at St Olaf than Dakota Wesleyan University ($54,650.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than St Olaf ($19,825 vs. $26,171)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 67.1% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($7,450 vs. $12,450)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota Wesleyan University than St Olaf College (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 91.5% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($40,399 vs. $21,097)

St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 300 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University has a higher acceptance rate (74.8%) than St Olaf (56.4%)

St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St Olaf or Dakota Wesleyan University? 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 Wesleyan University and St Olaf.

  • The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (85% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $15,500 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $38,200)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University students graduate with a $467 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($26,533 vs. $27,000)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($274 vs. $279)
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota Wesleyan University students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 71%)

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