Quad

Dakota State University

Madison, SDQuad's selectivityAccessible
Known forMostly online
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Dakota State admits about 9 in 10 applicants (88%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 27% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

88%

88%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

2,418

Admitted

2,129

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1190–1440

10001600
ACT middle 50%

20–27

1836
Applications +213% since fall 2014 · admit rate 84% → 88%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 2,071 undergrads, where 17% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

2.1K

undergrads · larger than 58% of colleges

Diversity index

0.44

Pell Grant

17%

below the median

First generation

28%

below the median

Distant townNAIA · Frontier ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.29 → 0.44 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance (23% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 75% of faculty are full-time. Spends $8,768 a year on instruction per student.

18 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 83% of colleges

Most popular major

Computer and Information Systems Security/Auditing/Information Assurance

23% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer and Information Sciences, General

$85.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

75%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$8.8K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $22,246 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2K less than the national median. The 88% who received grants paid $20,438 on average; the other 12% paid the full sticker price of $26,109 in-state / $29,211 out-of-state.

18%

$22.2K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$26,109 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 18% of full price

Federal loans

34%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost rising · +5% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $50,970 ten years after enrolling, more than at 41% of colleges; 45% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.7 years of that salary.

45%

45%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$51K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$23.5K

≈ $249/month for 10 years

Retention

75%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 41% → 51% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 10% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 5%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 213% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 84% to 88%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +5% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +213%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 84% → 88%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.29 → 0.44

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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87% admit · 1.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Midwest
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Truman State University

84% admit · SAT 1270 · 2.5K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Midwest
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Massachusetts Maritime Academy

95% admit · 1.4K undergrads

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Montana State University Billings

2.6K undergrads

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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

IPEDS unit ID 219082 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything