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Carleton College Grinnell Oberlin Kenyon St Olaf Oxy Minnesota Reed South Dakota State University Case Western Whitman College Vassar| Macalester College | Dakota State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
| Location | Saint Paul, MN | Madison, SD | ||
| Setting | Large City | Distant Town | ||
| Enrollment | 2,142 | 3,508 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #104 | #813 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | Presbyterian Church (USA) | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | macalester.edu | dsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,678 | $7,616 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,678 | $10,718 | ||
| Room & Board | $15,477 | $8,990 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $38,571 | $19,115 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $40,329 | $5,263 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 88% | 87% |
Admission |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 8,099 | 988 | ||
| Admitted | 2,285 | 967 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 28.2% | 97.9% | ||
| Enrolled % | 22.7% | 40.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.81 | 3.33 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | High | |||
| ACT Range | 30/33 | 20/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 1350/1510 | 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 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 10:1 | 19:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 34% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $54,100 | $42,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 89% | 67% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $22,670 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $234 | $242 |
Diversity |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 66% | 84% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 14% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 0% | 1% |
Students |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 18% | 56% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 38% | ||
Campus |
Macalester College | Dakota State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Dakota State University is larger than than Macalester College based on total student enrollment (3,508 students vs. 2,142 students)
Macalester College vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Macalester College or Dakota State?
- Macalester College is 749.2% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($64,678.00 vs. $7,616.00)
- Out of state tuition is 503.5% higher at Macalester College than Dakota State University ($64,678.00 vs. $10,718.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Macalester College ($19,115 vs. $38,571)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 72.2% lower than costs at Macalester College ($8,990 vs. $15,477)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Macalester College than Dakota State University (88% vs. 87%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Macalester College students is 666.3% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($40,329 vs. $5,263)
Macalester College vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Macalester College or Dakota State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Dakota State or Macalester College .
- The average SAT score at Macalester College (1358) is 311 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
- Incoming Macalester College students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Dakota State (23)
- Accepted freshman Macalester College students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
- Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Macalester College (28.2%)
Macalester College vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Macalester College 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 Macalester College.
- The graduation rate at Macalester College is higher than Dakota State University (87% vs. 34%)
- Graduates from Macalester College earn on average $11,900 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($54,100 vs. $42,200)
- Macalester College students graduate with a $830 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($22,670 vs. $23,500)
- Macalester College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($234 vs. $242)
- More Macalester College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (89% vs. 67%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/