Quad

Head-to-head

Western Colorado
Dakota State

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Western Colorado's grants cover 26% of its full price on average, vs. 18% at Dakota State

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Dakota State's yield is 7 pts higher than Western Colorado's

    Yield rate
  3. 3

    Dakota State's SAT midpoint is 57 points higher than Western Colorado's

    SAT midpoint
  4. 4

    Dakota State has 5 pts more Pell recipients than Western Colorado (17% vs. 12%)

    Pell Grant recipients
  5. 5

    Dakota State grads earn $4.1K more ten years out than Western Colorado's ($50,970 vs. $46,833)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  6. 6

    Dakota State is a bit larger (2,071 vs. 1,586)

    Undergrads

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Who's hardest to get into

Dakota State admits 88%, Western Colorado 100%; Dakota State's yield is higher, at 18%.

Acceptance rate
Western Colorado100%
Dakota State88%
Quad's selectivity
  • Western ColoradoOpen
  • Dakota StateAccessible
SAT middle 50%Axis 1100–1600
Western Colorado
1163–1353
Dakota State
1190–1440
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • Western ColoradoGPA, school record, rank, and prep program considered
  • Dakota StateGPA, school record, and rank required

Who's on each campus

Dakota State is a bit larger than Western Colorado (2,071 vs. 1,586 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Western Colorado1.6K
Dakota State2.1K
Pell Grant share
Western Colorado12%
Dakota State17%

Majors and faculty

Business Administration and Management leads at Western Colorado, and Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance at Dakota State.

Students per faculty member
Western Colorado17 to 1
Dakota State18 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • Western ColoradoBusiness Administration and Management, General18%
  • Dakota StateComputer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance23%

What each costs

Western Colorado and Dakota State cost about the same a year on average; Western Colorado's grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Western Colorado$21.7K
Dakota State$22.2K
Aid generosity
Western Colorado26%
Dakota State18%

What each pays off

Dakota State's former students earn more, a median $51K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 48% at Western Colorado to 45% at Dakota State.

Median earnings, 10 years
Western Colorado$46.8K
Dakota State$51K
Graduation rate
Western Colorado48%
Dakota State45%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; Dakota State got less selective while Western Colorado held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • Western ColoradoGrowing+160%
  • Dakota StateGrowing+213%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why