UNK vs. Dakota State

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

 UNK Dakota State
Location Kearney, NE Madison, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 6,041 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #571 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unk.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNK Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $6,220 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $12,036 $10,718
Room & Board $11,390 $8,018
Avg Net Price $16,564 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $7,282 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 UNK Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,794 882
Admitted 5,842 696
Acceptance Rate 86% 78.9%
Enrolled % 14.8% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.24 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 19/27
SAT Range 1000/1200 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 Aug 15, 2024

Academics

 UNK Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Communication (5%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 UNK Dakota State
Graduation Rate 61% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $43,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 71% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,250 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $219 $242

Diversity

 UNK Dakota State
% Men 34% 64%
% Women 66% 36%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 79% 84%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 5% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UNK Dakota State
% In-State 85% 58%
% Out-of-State 11% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Nebraska at Kearney is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (6,041 students vs. 3,241 students)

UNK vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNK or Dakota State?

  • Dakota State University is 22.4% more expensive to attend than UNK for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $6,220.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 12.3% higher at UNK than Dakota State University ($12,036.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nebraska at Kearney than Dakota State ($16,564 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 42.1% lower than costs at University of Nebraska at Kearney ($8,018 vs. $11,390)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska at Kearney than Dakota State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska at Kearney students is 33.2% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($7,282 vs. $5,467)

UNK vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska at Kearney (1049) is 2 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming UNK students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Dakota State students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at UNK (3.24)
  • UNK has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

UNK vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNK 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 UNK.

  • The graduation rate at UNK is higher than Dakota State University (61% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska at Kearney earn on average $1,200 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($43,400 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Nebraska at Kearney students graduate with a $2,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($21,250 vs. $23,500)
  • UNK graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($219 vs. $242)
  • More UNK graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 67%)

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