K-State vs. Dakota State

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

 K-State Dakota State
Location Manhattan, KS Madison, SD
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 19,745 3,508
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #457 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website k-state.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 K-State Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $9,964 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $26,838 $10,718
Room & Board $12,020 $8,990
Avg Net Price $18,745 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $9,391 $5,263
% Receiving Grant Aid 90% 87%

Admission

 K-State Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,437 988
Admitted 10,663 967
Acceptance Rate 79.4% 97.9%
Enrolled % 29.9% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.77 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Average Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 20/26
SAT Range 1040/1260 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

 K-State Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Agriculture (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 K-State Dakota State
Graduation Rate 56% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,700 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $242

Diversity

 K-State Dakota State
% Men 9% 12%
% Women 14% 4%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 84%
% Black 4% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 K-State Dakota State
% In-State 72% 56%
% Out-of-State 27% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Kansas State University is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (19,745 students vs. 3,508 students)

K-State vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, K-State or Dakota State?

  • Kansas State University is 30.8% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($9,964.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 150.4% higher at K-State than Dakota State University ($26,838.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Kansas State University than Dakota State ($18,745 vs. $19,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 33.7% lower than costs at Kansas State University ($8,990 vs. $12,020)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Kansas State University than Dakota State University (90% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Kansas State University students is 78.4% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,391 vs. $5,263)

K-State vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman K-State students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than K-State (79.4%)

K-State vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, K-State 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 K-State.

  • The graduation rate at K-State is higher than Dakota State University (56% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Kansas State University earn on average $7,500 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($49,700 vs. $42,200)
  • Kansas State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,500)
  • K-State graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($232 vs. $242)
  • More K-State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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