St. Kate's vs. Dakota Wesleyan University

Should I go to St Catherine University or Dakota Wesleyan University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if St. Kate's or Dakota Wesleyan University 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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St Catherine University vs. Dakota Wesleyan University comparison
St Catherine University Dakota Wesleyan University College 3 College 4
St Catherine University
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Overview

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Location Saint Paul, MN Mitchell, SD
Setting Large City Remote Town
Enrollment 3,577 887
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #276
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website stkate.edu dwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Tuition (In State) $46,976 $30,700
Tuition (Out of State) $46,976 $30,700
Room & Board $9,900 $7,450
Avg Net Price $19,976 $19,825
Avg Grant Aid $37,012 $21,097
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,512 1,209
Admitted 1,399 904
Acceptance Rate 92.5% 74.8%
Enrolled % 24.7% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.62 3.36
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26 18/24
SAT Range 1155/1450 950/1420
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 27, 2025

Academics

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (51%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Human Services (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Health Professions (37%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)

Outcomes

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Graduation Rate 65% 43%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,100 $38,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $28,000 $26,533
Median Loan Payment $289 $274

Diversity

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
% Men 7% 46%
% Women 93% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 88%
% Black 9% 2%
% Hispanic 7% 3%
% Native American 1% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 0%

Students

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
% In-State 80% 61%
% Out-of-State 17% 35%

Campus

St. Kate's Dakota Wesleyan University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • St Catherine University is larger than than Dakota Wesleyan University based on total student enrollment (3,577 students vs. 887 students)

St. Kate's vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, St. Kate's or Dakota Wesleyan University?

  • St Catherine University is 53% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($46,976.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 53% higher at St. Kate's than Dakota Wesleyan University ($46,976.00 vs. $30,700.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than St. Kate's ($19,825 vs. $19,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 32.9% lower than costs at St Catherine University ($7,450 vs. $9,900)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at St Catherine University as Dakota Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Catherine University students is 75.4% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($37,012 vs. $21,097)

St. Kate's vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, St. Kate's 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 St. Kate's .

  • The average SAT score at St Catherine University (1032) is 50 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
  • Incoming St. Kate's students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
  • Accepted freshman St. Kate's students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.62) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
  • St. Kate's has a higher acceptance rate (92.5%) than Dakota Wesleyan University (74.8%)

St. Kate's vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, St. Kate's 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 St. Kate's.

  • The graduation rate at St. Kate's is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (65% vs. 43%)
  • Graduates from St Catherine University earn on average $11,900 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($50,100 vs. $38,200)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University students graduate with a $1,467 lower median federal student loan debt than St. Kate's graduates. ($26,533 vs. $28,000)
  • Dakota Wesleyan University graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than St. Kate's graduates. ($274 vs. $289)
  • More Dakota Wesleyan University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former St. Kate's students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 65%)

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