The University of West Florida vs. Dakota State

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

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
Location Pensacola, FL Madison, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 13,521 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #727 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uwf.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $4,319 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $16,587 $10,718
Room & Board $11,268 $8,018
Avg Net Price $8,609 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $11,515 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 84% 92%

Admission

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,113 882
Admitted 4,377 696
Acceptance Rate 48% 78.9%
Enrolled % 27% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.6 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/27 19/27
SAT Range 1050/1230 940/1240
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 22:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
Graduation Rate 48% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,200 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $242

Diversity

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
% Men 38% 64%
% Women 62% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 65% 84%
% Black 13% 4%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 The University of West Florida Dakota State
% In-State 66% 58%
% Out-of-State 11% 39%

Campus

 The University of West Florida 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

  • The University of West Florida is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (13,521 students vs. 3,241 students)

The University of West Florida vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, The University of West Florida or Dakota State?

  • Dakota State University is 76.3% more expensive to attend than The University of West Florida for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $4,319.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.8% higher at The University of West Florida than Dakota State University ($16,587.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of West Florida than Dakota State ($8,609 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 40.5% lower than costs at The University of West Florida ($8,018 vs. $11,268)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than The University of West Florida (92% vs. 84%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of West Florida students is 110.6% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($11,515 vs. $5,467)

The University of West Florida vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of West Florida (1053) is 6 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming The University of West Florida students have at the same average ACT score (23) as students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman The University of West Florida students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (78.9%) than The University of West Florida (48%)

The University of West Florida vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, The University of West Florida 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 The University of West Florida.

  • The graduation rate at The University of West Florida is higher than Dakota State University (48% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Dakota State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than The University of West Florida graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $41,200)
  • The University of West Florida students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($18,750 vs. $23,500)
  • The University of West Florida graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($193 vs. $242)
  • More Dakota State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former The University of West Florida students, three years after graduation. (67% vs. 55%)

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