WestConn vs. Dakota State

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

 WestConn Dakota State
Location Danbury, CT Madison, SD
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 4,417 3,241
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #466 #808
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wcsu.edu dsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 WestConn Dakota State
Tuition (In State) $6,464 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $19,358 $10,718
Room & Board $14,568 $8,018
Avg Net Price $15,862 $17,977
Avg Grant Aid $9,057 $5,467
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 92%

Admission

 WestConn Dakota State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 882
Admitted 4,253 696
Acceptance Rate 83.5% 78.9%
Enrolled % 14.8% 53.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.38 3.33
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/29 19/27
SAT Range 1010/1230 940/1240
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

Academics

 WestConn Dakota State
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (27%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (12%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (28%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (22%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 WestConn Dakota State
Graduation Rate 40% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,400 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

 WestConn Dakota State
% Men 45% 64%
% Women 55% 36%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 61% 84%
% Black 12% 4%
% Hispanic 18% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 3%
% International 0% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 WestConn Dakota State
% In-State 70% 58%
% Out-of-State 30% 39%

Campus

 WestConn 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

  • Western Connecticut State University is larger than than Dakota State based on total student enrollment (4,417 students vs. 3,241 students)

WestConn vs. Dakota State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WestConn or Dakota State?

  • Dakota State University is 17.8% more expensive to attend than WestConn for in-state tuition ($7,616.00 vs. $6,464.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.6% higher at WestConn than Dakota State University ($19,358.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Western Connecticut State University than Dakota State ($15,862 vs. $17,977)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Dakota State University are 81.7% lower than costs at Western Connecticut State University ($8,018 vs. $14,568)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Dakota State University than Western Connecticut State University (92% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Western Connecticut State University students is 65.7% larger than aid received Dakota State University ($9,057 vs. $5,467)

WestConn vs. Dakota State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman WestConn students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.38) than students at Dakota State (3.33)
  • WestConn has a higher acceptance rate (83.5%) than Dakota State (78.9%)

WestConn vs. Dakota State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WestConn 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 WestConn.

  • The graduation rate at WestConn is higher than Dakota State University (40% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from Western Connecticut State University earn on average $5,200 more per year than Dakota State graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $42,200)
  • Dakota State University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than WestConn graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Dakota State graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than WestConn graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More Dakota State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WestConn 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/