DSU vs. MSU

Should I go to Dickinson State University or Minot State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if DSU or MSU 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 North Dakota NDSU Minnesota State University-Mankato
Dickinson State University vs. Minot State University comparison
Dickinson State University Minot State University College 3 College 4
Dickinson State University Minot State University
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Overview

 DSU MSU
Location Dickinson, ND Minot, ND
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 1,473 2,777
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #736 #726
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website dickinsonstate.com minotstateu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 DSU MSU
Tuition (In State) $7,470 $7,168
Tuition (Out of State) $9,570 $7,168
Room & Board $7,740 $7,180
Avg Net Price $14,971 $12,360
Avg Grant Aid $5,391 $5,542
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 91%

Admission

 DSU MSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 729 498
Admitted 525 464
Acceptance Rate 72% 93.2%
Enrolled % 46.1% 81.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.11 3.42
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/21 17/22
SAT Range 875/1130 992/1178
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 Jun 30, 2025

Academics

 DSU MSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (42%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)
  • Business (36%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Health Professions (13%)
  • Human Services (6%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (5%)

Outcomes

 DSU MSU
Graduation Rate 26% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,800 $45,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,781 $18,725
Median Loan Payment $194 $193

Diversity

 DSU MSU
% Men 45% 35%
% Women 55% 65%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 76% 67%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 13%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 DSU MSU
% In-State 51% 72%
% Out-of-State 46% 21%

Campus

 DSU MSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Minot State University is larger than than DSU based on total student enrollment (2,777 students vs. 1,473 students)

DSU vs. MSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, DSU or MSU?

  • Dickinson State University is 4.2% more expensive to attend than MSU for in-state tuition ($7,470.00 vs. $7,168.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.5% higher at DSU than Minot State University ($9,570.00 vs. $7,168.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Minot State University than DSU ($12,360 vs. $14,971)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Minot State University are 7.8% lower than costs at Dickinson State University ($7,180 vs. $7,740)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dickinson State University than Minot State University (92% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Minot State University students is 2.8% larger than aid received Dickinson State University ($5,542 vs. $5,391)

DSU vs. MSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Minot State University (999) is 48 points higher than at DSU (951)
  • Incoming MSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at DSU (20)
  • Accepted freshman MSU students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.42) than students at DSU (3.11)
  • MSU has a higher acceptance rate (93.2%) than DSU (72%)

DSU vs. MSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, DSU or MSU? 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 MSU and DSU.

  • The graduation rate at MSU is higher than Dickinson State University (34% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Dickinson State University earn on average $1,600 more per year than MSU graduates after ten years. ($46,800 vs. $45,200)
  • Minot State University students graduate with a $56 lower median federal student loan debt than DSU graduates. ($18,725 vs. $18,781)
  • MSU graduates are paying $1 less per month on federal student loans than DSU graduates. ($193 vs. $194)
  • More DSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former MSU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 74%)

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