Covenant College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University

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

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
Location Lookout Mountain, GA Mitchell, SD
Setting Large Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 886 887
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation The Presbyterian Church in America United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website covenant.edu dwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
Tuition (In State) $37,760 $30,700
Tuition (Out of State) $37,760 $30,700
Room & Board $11,688 $7,450
Avg Net Price $25,028 $19,825
Avg Grant Aid $26,658 $21,097
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 813 1,209
Admitted 684 904
Acceptance Rate 84.1% 74.8%
Enrolled % 35.4% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.36
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/32 18/24
SAT Range 1140/1380 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 Mar 1, 2025 Aug 27, 2025

Academics

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (15%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
Graduation Rate 51% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,533
Median Loan Payment $222 $274

Diversity

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
% Men 46% 46%
% Women 54% 54%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 87% 88%
% Black 2% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Covenant College Dakota Wesleyan University
% In-State 35% 61%
% Out-of-State 62% 35%

Campus

Covenant College 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

  • Dakota Wesleyan University is larger than than Covenant College based on total student enrollment (887 students vs. 886 students)

Covenant College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Covenant College or Dakota Wesleyan University?

  • Covenant College is 23% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($37,760.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23% higher at Covenant College than Dakota Wesleyan University ($37,760.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than Covenant College ($19,825 vs. $25,028)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 56.9% lower than costs at Covenant College ($7,450 vs. $11,688)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Covenant College as Dakota Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Covenant College students is 26.4% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($26,658 vs. $21,097)

Covenant College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Covenant College 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 Covenant College .

  • The average SAT score at Covenant College (1189) is 207 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
  • Incoming Covenant College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
  • Accepted freshman Covenant College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
  • Covenant College has a higher acceptance rate (84.1%) than Dakota Wesleyan University (74.8%)

Covenant College vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Covenant College 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 Covenant College.

  • The graduation rate at Covenant College is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (51% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from Covenant College earn on average $7,400 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($45,600 vs. $38,200)
  • Covenant College students graduate with a $5,033 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,533)
  • Covenant College graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates. ($222 vs. $274)
  • More Covenant College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota Wesleyan University students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 71%)

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