UH at Hilo vs. DSU

Should I go to University of Hawaii at Hilo or Dickinson State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UH at Hilo or DSU 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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University of Hawaii at Hilo vs. Dickinson State University comparison
University of Hawaii at Hilo Dickinson State University College 3 College 4
University of Hawaii at Hilo Dickinson State University
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Overview

 UH at Hilo DSU
Location Hilo, HI Dickinson, ND
Setting Remote Town Remote Town
Enrollment 2,781 1,453
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #774 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website hawaii.edu dickinsonstate.com
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UH at Hilo DSU
Tuition (In State) $7,344 $7,470
Tuition (Out of State) $20,304 $9,570
Room & Board $8,248 $7,740
Avg Net Price $12,936 $15,490
Avg Grant Aid $7,454 $4,875
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 90%

Admission

 UH at Hilo DSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,562 831
Admitted 2,300 499
Acceptance Rate 89.8% 60%
Enrolled % 16% 45.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.11
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/22 16/21
SAT Range 898/1110 875/1130
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 UH at Hilo DSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (42%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 UH at Hilo DSU
Graduation Rate 36% 26%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $46,800
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,903 $18,781
Median Loan Payment $205 $194

Diversity

 UH at Hilo DSU
% Men 4% 2%
% Women 9% 2%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 22% 76%
% Black 1% 5%
% Hispanic 13% 6%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 11% 0%
% Two or More Races 31% 3%
% International 4% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UH at Hilo DSU
% In-State 75% 48%
% Out-of-State 23% 48%

Campus

 UH at Hilo DSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Hawaii at Hilo is larger than than DSU based on total student enrollment (2,781 students vs. 1,453 students)

UH at Hilo vs. DSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UH at Hilo or DSU?

  • Dickinson State University is 1.7% more expensive to attend than UH at Hilo for in-state tuition ($7,470.00 vs. $7,344.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 112.2% higher at UH at Hilo than Dickinson State University ($20,304.00 vs. $9,570.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Hawaii at Hilo than DSU ($12,936 vs. $15,490)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dickinson State University are 6.6% lower than costs at University of Hawaii at Hilo ($7,740 vs. $8,248)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dickinson State University than University of Hawaii at Hilo (90% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Hawaii at Hilo students is 52.9% larger than aid received Dickinson State University ($7,454 vs. $4,875)

UH at Hilo vs. DSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UH at Hilo or DSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between DSU or UH at Hilo .

  • The average SAT score at Dickinson State University (951) is 25 points higher than at UH at Hilo (926)
  • Incoming DSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at UH at Hilo (19)
  • Accepted freshman UH at Hilo students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.36) than students at DSU (3.11)
  • UH at Hilo has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than DSU (60%)

UH at Hilo vs. DSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UH at Hilo or DSU? 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 DSU and UH at Hilo.

  • The graduation rate at UH at Hilo is higher than Dickinson State University (36% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Dickinson State University earn on average $8,700 more per year than UH at Hilo graduates after ten years. ($46,800 vs. $38,100)
  • Dickinson State University students graduate with a $1,122 lower median federal student loan debt than UH at Hilo graduates. ($18,781 vs. $19,903)
  • DSU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than UH at Hilo graduates. ($194 vs. $205)
  • More DSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH at Hilo students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 61%)

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