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St Olaf Coe College Dakota State Drake Knox College Gustavus Adolphus College Grinnell Creighton University Concordia College at Moorhead Lawrence Cornell College Carthage| Luther College | Dakota Wesleyan University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Location | Decorah, IA | Mitchell, SD | ||
| Setting | Remote Town | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 1,463 | 886 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #299 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | luther.edu | dwu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $49,650 | $31,700 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $49,650 | $31,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $11,180 | $7,600 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $24,790 | $21,901 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $38,042 | $20,598 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,447 | 1,153 | ||
| Admitted | 1,793 | 839 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 73.3% | 72.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 19.6% | 21.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.65 | 3.36 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Challenging | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 22/29 | 18/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1098/1318 | 950/1420 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Aug 27, 2026 |
Academics |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Graduation Rate | 69% | 43% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,000 | $38,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 71% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,533 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $274 |
Diversity |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 84% | 88% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 2% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 0% |
Students |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 28% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 58% | 35% | ||
Campus |
Luther- Norse | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Luther College is larger than than Dakota Wesleyan University based on total student enrollment (1,463 students vs. 886 students)
Luther- Norse vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Luther- Norse or Dakota Wesleyan University?
- Luther College is 56.6% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($49,650.00 vs. $31,700.00)
- Out of state tuition is 56.6% higher at Luther- Norse than Dakota Wesleyan University ($49,650.00 vs. $31,700.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than Luther- Norse ($21,901 vs. $24,790)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 47.1% lower than costs at Luther College ($7,600 vs. $11,180)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Luther College as Dakota Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Luther College students is 84.7% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($38,042 vs. $20,598)
Luther- Norse vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Luther- Norse or Dakota Wesleyan University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Dakota Wesleyan University or Luther- Norse .
- The average SAT score at Luther College (1179) is 197 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
- Incoming Luther- Norse students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
- Accepted freshman Luther- Norse students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
- Luther- Norse has a higher acceptance rate (73.3%) than Dakota Wesleyan University (72.8%)
Luther- Norse vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Luther- Norse or Dakota Wesleyan 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 Dakota Wesleyan University and Luther- Norse.
- The graduation rate at Luther- Norse is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (69% vs. 43%)
- Graduates from Luther College earn on average $11,800 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($50,000 vs. $38,200)
- Dakota Wesleyan University students graduate with a $467 lower median federal student loan debt than Luther- Norse graduates. ($26,533 vs. $27,000)
- Dakota Wesleyan University graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than Luther- Norse graduates. ($274 vs. $279)
- More Luther- Norse graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota Wesleyan University students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 71%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/