FLC vs. Dakota State

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

 FLC Dakota State
Location Durango, CO Madison, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,400 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #818 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website fortlewis.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 FLC Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $7,200 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $17,712 $10,718
Room & Board $12,554 $8,018
Avg Net Price $15,685 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $14,215 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 92%

Admission

 FLC Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,942 882
Admitted 4,496 696
Acceptance Rate 91% 78.9%
Enrolled % 19% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/25 19/27
SAT Range 1060/1260 940/1240
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 FLC Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 FLC Dakota State
Graduation Rate 37% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $242

Diversity

 FLC Dakota State
% Men 45% 64%
% Women 55% 36%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 84%
% Black 1% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 25% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 FLC Dakota State
% In-State 38% 58%
% Out-of-State 61% 39%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Fort Lewis College is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (3,400 students vs. 3,241 students)

FLC vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, FLC or Dakota State?

  • Dakota State University is 5.8% more expensive to attend than FLC for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $7,200.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 65.3% higher at FLC than Dakota State University ($17,712.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Fort Lewis College than Dakota State ($15,685 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 56.6% lower than costs at Fort Lewis College ($8,018 vs. $12,554)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Fort Lewis College than Dakota State University (96% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Fort Lewis College students is 160% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($14,215 vs. $5,467)

FLC vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Dakota State University (1047) is 35 points higher than at FLC (1012)
  • Incoming Dakota State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at FLC (22)
  • Accepted freshman Dakota State students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at FLC (3.3)
  • FLC has a higher acceptance rate (91%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

FLC vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, FLC 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 FLC.

  • The graduation rate at FLC is higher than Dakota State University (37% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $3,200 more per year than FLC graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $39,000)
  • Fort Lewis College students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,500)
  • FLC graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($201 vs. $242)
  • More Dakota State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former FLC students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 57%)

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