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UW-Seattle Washington State UO OSU EWU Central Washington University South Dakota State University Seattle U Gonzaga Portland State University UWB UH at Manoa| Dakota State University | Western Washington University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
| Location | Madison, SD | Bellingham, WA | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,508 | 14,651 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #813 | #364 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | dsu.edu | wwu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,616 | $7,997 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $10,718 | $26,564 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,990 | $14,915 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $19,115 | $22,096 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $5,263 | $7,041 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 87% | 93% |
Admission |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 988 | 14,243 | ||
| Admitted | 967 | 13,005 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 97.9% | 91.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 40.7% | 24.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.33 | 3.46 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 20/26 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1020/1340 | 1110/1350 | ||
| 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 | Jan 31, 2026 |
Academics |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
| Graduation Rate | 34% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $42,200 | $48,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 67% | 71% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $23,500 | $19,413 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $242 | $200 |
Diversity |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 12% | 2% | ||
| % Women | 4% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 84% | 73% | ||
| % Black | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 9% | ||
| % International | 1% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 56% | 83% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 38% | 16% | ||
Campus |
Dakota State | Western Washington University | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Western Washington University is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (14,651 students vs. 3,508 students)
Dakota State vs. Western Washington University Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Dakota State or Western Washington University?
- Western Washington University is 5% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($7,997.00 vs. $7,616.00)
- Out of state tuition is 147.8% higher at Western Washington University than Dakota State University ($26,564.00 vs. $10,718.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Western Washington University ($19,115 vs. $22,096)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 65.9% lower than costs at Western Washington University ($8,990 vs. $14,915)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Western Washington University than Dakota State University (93% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Western Washington University students is 33.8% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($7,041 vs. $5,263)
Dakota State vs. Western Washington University Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Dakota State or Western Washington University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Western Washington University or Dakota State .
- The average SAT score at Western Washington University (1114) is 67 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
- Incoming Western Washington University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Dakota State (23)
- Accepted freshman Western Washington University students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
- Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Western Washington University (91.3%)
Dakota State vs. Western Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Dakota State or Western Washington 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 Western Washington University and Dakota State.
- The graduation rate at Western Washington University is higher than Dakota State University (73% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from Western Washington University earn on average $5,800 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $42,200)
- Western Washington University students graduate with a $4,087 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($19,413 vs. $23,500)
- Western Washington University graduates are paying $42 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($200 vs. $242)
- More Western Washington University 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/