ECSU vs. Dakota State

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

 ECSU Dakota State
Location Willimantic, CT Madison, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,979 3,508
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #451 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website easternct.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ECSU Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $6,664 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $9,996 $10,718
Room & Board $17,258 $8,990
Avg Net Price $21,205 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $9,865 $5,263
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 87%

Admission

 ECSU Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,275 988
Admitted 4,249 967
Acceptance Rate 80.5% 97.9%
Enrolled % 14.5% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.4 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/26
SAT Range 1110/1320 1020/1340
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

 ECSU Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 ECSU Dakota State
Graduation Rate 49% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $237 $242

Diversity

 ECSU Dakota State
% Men 1% 12%
% Women 2% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 84%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 9% 1%

Students

 ECSU Dakota State
% In-State 89% 56%
% Out-of-State 11% 38%

Campus

 ECSU Dakota State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Eastern Connecticut State University is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (3,979 students vs. 3,508 students)

ECSU vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ECSU or Dakota State?

  • Dakota State University is 14.3% more expensive to attend than ECSU for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $6,664.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Dakota State than Eastern Connecticut State University ($10,718.00 vs. $9,996.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than ECSU ($19,115 vs. $21,205)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 92% lower than costs at Eastern Connecticut State University ($8,990 vs. $17,258)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Eastern Connecticut State University than Dakota State University (94% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Connecticut State University students is 87.4% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,865 vs. $5,263)

ECSU vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman ECSU students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.4) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than ECSU (80.5%)

ECSU vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ECSU 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 ECSU.

  • The graduation rate at ECSU is higher than Dakota State University (49% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Eastern Connecticut State University earn on average $4,200 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($46,400 vs. $42,200)
  • Eastern Connecticut State University students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($23,000 vs. $23,500)
  • ECSU graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($237 vs. $242)
  • More ECSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 67%)

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