Iowa vs. Dakota State

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

 Iowa Dakota State
Location Iowa City, IA Madison, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 30,042 3,508
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #225 #813
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uiowa.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Iowa Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $9,016 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $30,979 $10,718
Room & Board $12,616 $8,990
Avg Net Price $20,121 $19,115
Avg Grant Aid $9,512 $5,263
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 87%

Admission

 Iowa Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,682 988
Admitted 21,746 967
Acceptance Rate 84.7% 97.9%
Enrolled % 23.3% 40.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.81 3.33
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/28 20/26
SAT Range 1130/1320 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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Iowa Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 Iowa Dakota State
Graduation Rate 71% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,800 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,616 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $223 $242

Diversity

 Iowa Dakota State
% Men 12% 12%
% Women 14% 4%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 84%
% Black 3% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 Iowa Dakota State
% In-State 52% 56%
% Out-of-State 46% 38%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Iowa is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (30,042 students vs. 3,508 students)

Iowa vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Iowa or Dakota State?

  • University of Iowa is 18.4% more expensive to attend than Dakota State for in-state tuition ($9,016.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 189% higher at Iowa than Dakota State University ($30,979.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Dakota State University than Iowa ($19,115 vs. $20,121)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 40.3% lower than costs at University of Iowa ($8,990 vs. $12,616)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than University of Iowa (87% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Iowa students is 80.7% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,512 vs. $5,263)

Iowa vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Iowa (1164) is 117 points higher than at Dakota State (1047)
  • Incoming Iowa students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at Dakota State (23)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • Dakota State has a higher acceptance rate (97.9%) than Iowa (84.7%)

Iowa vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Iowa 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 Iowa.

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than Dakota State University (71% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $17,600 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $42,200)
  • University of Iowa students graduate with a $1,884 lower median federal student loan debt than Dakota State graduates. ($21,616 vs. $23,500)
  • Iowa graduates are paying $19 less per month on federal student loans than Dakota State graduates. ($223 vs. $242)
  • More Iowa graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Dakota State students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 67%)

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