Nebraska vs. Dakota State

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

Nebraska Dakota State
Location Lincoln, NE Madison, SD
Setting Large City Distant Town
Enrollment 23,986 3,508
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #318 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unl.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Nebraska Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $8,010 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $25,650 $10,718
Room & Board $13,856 $8,990
Avg Net Price $18,029 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $9,554 $5,263
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 87%

Admission

Nebraska Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 18,354 988
Admitted 14,146 967
Acceptance Rate 77.1% 97.9%
Enrolled % 33.2% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 20/26
SAT Range 1090/1330 1020/1340
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

Nebraska Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Agriculture (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

Nebraska Dakota State
Graduation Rate 67% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,600 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,700 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $224 $242

Diversity

Nebraska Dakota State
% Men 10% 12%
% Women 10% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 84%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 8% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Nebraska Dakota State
% In-State 75% 56%
% Out-of-State 24% 38%

Campus

Nebraska 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 Lincoln is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (23,986 students vs. 3,508 students)

Nebraska vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Nebraska or Dakota State?

  • University of Nebraska Lincoln is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($8,010.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 139.3% higher at Nebraska than Dakota State University ($25,650.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Nebraska Lincoln than Dakota State ($18,029 vs. $19,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 54.1% lower than costs at University of Nebraska Lincoln ($8,990 vs. $13,856)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Nebraska Lincoln than Dakota State University (93% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Nebraska Lincoln students is 81.5% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,554 vs. $5,263)

Nebraska vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Nebraska Lincoln (1145) is 98 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Nebraska students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Nebraska students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Nebraska (77.1%)

Nebraska vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Nebraska 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 Nebraska.

  • The graduation rate at Nebraska is higher than Dakota State University (67% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of Nebraska Lincoln earn on average $7,400 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($49,600 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Nebraska Lincoln students graduate with a $1,800 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($21,700 vs. $23,500)
  • Nebraska graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($224 vs. $242)
  • More Nebraska graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 67%)

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