USD vs. Western Washington University

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

USD Western Washington University
Location Vermillion, SD Bellingham, WA
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 9,868 14,651
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #576 #364
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usd.edu wwu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USD Western Washington University
Tuition (In State) $7,773 $7,997
Tuition (Out of State) $11,283 $26,564
Room & Board $9,060 $14,915
Avg Net Price $18,466 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $5,580 $7,041
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 93%

Admission

USD Western Washington University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,349 14,243
Admitted 5,293 13,005
Acceptance Rate 99% 91.3%
Enrolled % 25.7% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.43 3.46
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 23/29
SAT Range 1110/1330 1110/1350
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 Jan 31, 2025

Academics

USD Western Washington University
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

USD Western Washington University
Graduation Rate 47% 73%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,200 $48,000
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 71%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $19,413
Median Loan Payment $258 $200

Diversity

USD Western Washington University
% Men 12% 2%
% Women 16% 4%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 85% 73%
% Black 3% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 2% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 9%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 1%

Students

USD Western Washington University
% In-State 53% 83%
% Out-of-State 41% 16%

Campus

USD Western Washington University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Western Washington University is larger than than USD based on total student enrollment (14,651 students vs. 9,868 students)

USD vs. Western Washington University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USD or Western Washington University?

  • Western Washington University is 2.9% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($7,997.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 135.4% higher at Western Washington University than University of South Dakota ($26,564.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than Western Washington University ($18,466 vs. $22,096)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 64.6% lower than costs at Western Washington University ($9,060 vs. $14,915)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Western Washington University than University of South Dakota (93% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Washington University students is 26.2% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($7,041 vs. $5,580)

USD vs. Western Washington University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USD or Western Washington University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Western Washington University or USD .

  • The average SAT score at Western Washington University (1114) is 65 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming Western Washington University students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman Western Washington University students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99%) than Western Washington University (91.3%)

USD vs. Western Washington University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USD or Western Washington 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 Western Washington University and USD.

  • The graduation rate at Western Washington University is higher than University of South Dakota (73% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $200 more per year than Western Washington University graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $48,000)
  • Western Washington University students graduate with a $5,587 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($19,413 vs. $25,000)
  • Western Washington University graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($200 vs. $258)
  • More Western Washington University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USD students, three years after graduation. (71% vs. 70%)

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