Dakota State vs Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU)

Dakota State University and Southwest Minnesota State University, both located in the Midwest, offer distinct educational experiences for prospective students. Dakota State, known for its focus on technology and cyber security, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a smaller student body, fostering a close-knit community. Southwest Minnesota State, on the other hand, offers a wider range of academic programs, including popular majors like business and education, and attracts a larger and more diverse student population. While both universities offer competitive graduation rates, Dakota State's emphasis on STEM fields may appeal to those seeking careers in technology, while Southwest Minnesota State's broader curriculum might suit students interested in a more traditional liberal arts education. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic goals and preferences.

	Dakota State University	Southwest Minnesota State University
Overview
Location	Madison, South Dakota	Marshall, Minnesota
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	72.0%	63.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	85.6%	91.0%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $30
SAT range	1000 - 1245	N/A
ACT range	19 - 26	N/A
Students submitting SAT score	11.0%
Students submitting ACT score	80.0%
Total number of applicants	681	1,672
Total number of admissions given out	583	1,522
Admitted students who chose to enroll	366	421
Yield rate	62.8%	27.7%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $24,073 Out of state: $27,175	$22,718
Average net price	$17,572	$14,061
Tuition	In state: $7,616 Out of state: $10,718	$8,230
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $4,116 Meal plan: $3,308	Room/dormitory: $5,426 Meal plan: $3,790
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	79.0% Average amount $4,645	97.0% Average amount $7,101
Students receiving federal student loan	58.0% Average amount $4,987	67.0% Average amount $5,124
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $9,288	17.0% Average amount $8,087

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,751 Men 60.9% Women 39.1%	6,556 Men 38.6% Women 61.4%
Graduate students	468 Men 74.8% Women 25.2%	430 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	N/A
International students	4.5%	2.5%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	925	1,034
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Computer and Information Science Education Business Liberal Arts Health Professions	Education Business Health Professions Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Agriculture
Students to faculty ratio	18:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	46.8%	47.8%
Dropout rate	49.8%	20.7%
Transferred out	N/A	29.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $49,983 Year 2: $51,035 Year 3: $66,125 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,841 Year 2: $39,369 Year 3: $46,318 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $50,973 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $44,718 Health and Medical Administrative Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $41,205 Year 3: $44,370 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $43,878 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $39,153 Year 3: $38,114 Computer Software and Media Applications (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,986 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $31,143 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $91,122 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,967 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: N/A Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $69,795 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: N/A	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $63,193 Year 2: $61,020 Year 3: $63,067 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,872 Year 2: $55,964 Year 3: $57,477 Education, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $49,470 Year 2: $51,482 Year 3: $52,674 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,562 Year 2: $49,729 Year 3: $50,544 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,831 Year 2: $47,729 Year 3: $48,120 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,735 Year 2: $39,729 Year 3: $46,976 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,644 Year 2: $43,798 Year 3: $46,844 Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $46,566 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,969 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: $42,447 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $39,729 Year 3: $42,232

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Dakota State vs Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU)

Dakota State University

Southwest Minnesota State University

Overview

Admission

Tuition and Fees

Financial Aid

Students and Campus

Academics

Outcome

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