Purchase College vs. Dakota State

Should I go to SUNY at Purchase College or Dakota State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Purchase 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

State University of New York at New Paltz South Dakota State University University at Albany- SUNY Pace University-New York SUNY College at Oneonta SUNY College at Oswego Binghamton University SUNY Stony Brook Queens College Iona College UB Hunter
SUNY at Purchase College vs. Dakota State University comparison
SUNY at Purchase College Dakota State University College 3 College 4
SUNY at Purchase College Dakota State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Purchase College Dakota State
Location Purchase, NY Madison, SD
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 3,229 3,508
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $10,718
Room & Board $15,400 $8,990
Avg Net Price $18,651 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $5,263
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 87%

Admission

 Purchase College Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 988
Admitted 5,259 967
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 97.9%
Enrolled % 14.8% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 27/32 20/26
SAT Range 1178/1363 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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Dakota State
Graduation Rate 56% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $242

Diversity

 Purchase College Dakota State
% Men 1% 12%
% Women 1% 4%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 84%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 18% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 7% 1%

Students

 Purchase College Dakota State
% In-State 78% 56%
% Out-of-State 21% 38%

Campus

 Purchase College Dakota State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Dakota State University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (3,508 students vs. 3,229 students)

Purchase College vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

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

  • Dakota State University is 7.7% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 58.4% higher at Purchase College than Dakota State University ($16,980.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Dakota State ($18,651 vs. $19,115)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 71.3% lower than costs at SUNY at Purchase College ($8,990 vs. $15,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by SUNY at Purchase College students is 82.9% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,627 vs. $5,263)

Purchase College vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at SUNY at Purchase College (1082) is 35 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Purchase College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Purchase College students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Purchase College (72.8%)

Purchase College vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Purchase College is higher than Dakota State University (56% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $2,000 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($232 vs. $242)
  • More Dakota State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 65%)

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