Simpson College vs. Dakota State

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

 Simpson College Dakota State
Location Indianola, IA Madison, SD
Setting Distant Town Distant Town
Enrollment 1,151 3,241
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #412 #808
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website simpson.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Simpson College Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $44,202 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $44,202 $10,718
Room & Board $9,654 $8,018
Avg Net Price $23,185 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $35,898 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 92%

Admission

 Simpson College Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,569 882
Admitted 1,398 696
Acceptance Rate 89.1% 78.9%
Enrolled % 21.6% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 19/27
SAT Range 890/1280 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 15, 2025

Academics

 Simpson College Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 Simpson College Dakota State
Graduation Rate 69% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,000 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $242

Diversity

 Simpson College Dakota State
% Men 48% 64%
% Women 52% 36%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 88% 84%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Simpson College Dakota State
% In-State 67% 58%
% Out-of-State 32% 39%

Campus

 Simpson College 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

  • Dakota State University is larger than than Simpson College based on total student enrollment (3,241 students vs. 1,151 students)

Simpson College vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Simpson College or Dakota State?

  • Simpson College is 480.4% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($44,202.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 312.4% higher at Simpson College than Dakota State University ($44,202.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Simpson College ($17,977 vs. $23,185)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 20.4% lower than costs at Simpson College ($8,018 vs. $9,654)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Simpson College than Dakota State University (100% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Simpson College students is 556.6% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($35,898 vs. $5,467)

Simpson College vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Simpson College (1104) is 57 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Simpson College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Simpson College students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Simpson College has a higher acceptance rate (89.1%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

Simpson College vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Simpson 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 Simpson College.

  • The graduation rate at Simpson College is higher than Dakota State University (69% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Simpson College earn on average $5,800 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($48,000 vs. $42,200)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Simpson College graduates. ($23,500 vs. $27,000)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Simpson College graduates. ($242 vs. $279)
  • More Simpson College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 67%)

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