UNI vs. Dakota State

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

 UNI Dakota State
Location Cedar Falls, IA Madison, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 8,945 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #414 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uni.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNI Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $8,111 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $19,265 $10,718
Room & Board $9,343 $8,018
Avg Net Price $15,782 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $6,412 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 83% 92%

Admission

 UNI Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,594 882
Admitted 4,362 696
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 78.9%
Enrolled % 32.9% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.61 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26 19/27
SAT Range 1020/1330 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

Academics

 UNI Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Biology (5%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 UNI Dakota State
Graduation Rate 67% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,700 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 72% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,625 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $213 $242

Diversity

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

Students

 UNI Dakota State
% In-State 91% 58%
% Out-of-State 8% 39%

Campus

 UNI 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 Northern Iowa is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (8,945 students vs. 3,241 students)

UNI vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNI or Dakota State?

  • University of Northern Iowa is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($8,111.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 79.7% higher at UNI than Dakota State University ($19,265.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Northern Iowa than Dakota State ($15,782 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 16.5% lower than costs at University of Northern Iowa ($8,018 vs. $9,343)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than University of Northern Iowa (92% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Northern Iowa students is 17.3% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($6,412 vs. $5,467)

UNI vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Northern Iowa (1050) is 3 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming UNI students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman UNI students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • UNI has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

UNI vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNI 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 UNI.

  • The graduation rate at UNI is higher than Dakota State University (67% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of Northern Iowa earn on average $5,500 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($47,700 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Northern Iowa students graduate with a $2,875 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($20,625 vs. $23,500)
  • UNI graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($213 vs. $242)
  • More UNI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 67%)

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