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Carleton College Macalester College Lawrence University of St Thomas Minnesota Whitman College Oberlin Denison Wooster Luther- Norse Lewis and Clark Gustavus Adolphus College| St Olaf College | Dakota Wesleyan University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Location | Northfield, MN | Mitchell, SD | ||
| Setting | Distant Town | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 3,074 | 886 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #161 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | Evangelical Lutheran Church | United Methodist | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | stolaf.edu | dwu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $56,970 | $31,700 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $56,970 | $31,700 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,000 | $7,600 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $27,282 | $21,901 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $41,918 | $20,598 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 100% | 100% |
Admission |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 5,956 | 1,153 | ||
| Admitted | 3,106 | 839 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 52.1% | 72.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 21.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.36 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 28/32 | 18/24 | ||
| SAT Range | 1260/1470 | 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 | Jan 15, 2026 | Aug 27, 2026 |
Academics |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 12:1 | 12:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
| Graduation Rate | 85% | 43% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $53,700 | $38,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 71% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $27,000 | $26,533 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $279 | $274 |
Diversity |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 6% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 75% | 88% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 2% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 7% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
St Olaf | Dakota Wesleyan University | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 47% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 43% | 35% | ||
Campus |
St Olaf | 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
- St Olaf College is larger than than Dakota Wesleyan University based on total student enrollment (3,074 students vs. 886 students)
St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, St Olaf or Dakota Wesleyan University?
- St Olaf College is 79.7% more expensive to attend than Dakota Wesleyan University for in-state tuition ($56,970.00 vs. $31,700.00)
- Out of state tuition is 79.7% higher at St Olaf than Dakota Wesleyan University ($56,970.00 vs. $31,700.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota Wesleyan University than St Olaf ($21,901 vs. $27,282)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota Wesleyan University are 71.1% lower than costs at St Olaf College ($7,600 vs. $13,000)
- The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at St Olaf College as Dakota Wesleyan University (100% vs. 100%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 103.5% larger than aid received Dakota Wesleyan University ($41,918 vs. $20,598)
St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, St Olaf 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 Olaf .
- The average SAT score at St Olaf College (1282) is 300 points higher than at Dakota Wesleyan University (982)
- Incoming St Olaf students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (21)
- Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at Dakota Wesleyan University (3.36)
- Dakota Wesleyan University has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than St Olaf (52.1%)
St Olaf vs. Dakota Wesleyan University Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, St Olaf 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 Olaf.
- The graduation rate at St Olaf is higher than Dakota Wesleyan University (85% vs. 43%)
- Graduates from St Olaf College earn on average $15,500 more per year than Dakota Wesleyan University graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $38,200)
- Dakota Wesleyan University students graduate with a $467 lower median federal student loan debt than St Olaf graduates. ($26,533 vs. $27,000)
- Dakota Wesleyan University graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than St Olaf graduates. ($274 vs. $279)
- More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota Wesleyan University students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 71%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/