Dakota Wesleyan University vs Montana U

Dakota Wesleyan University and The University of Montana stand as distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. Dakota Wesleyan, a private university in Mitchell, South Dakota, prides itself on its small class sizes and personalized attention, while The University of Montana, a public research university in Missoula, Montana, boasts a larger student body and a wide range of academic programs. With acceptance rates of 75% and 85%, respectively, both universities welcome a diverse student population, though The University of Montana's larger size allows for a more varied demographic. While Dakota Wesleyan excels in nursing and education, The University of Montana offers a broader selection of majors, including engineering, forestry, and journalism. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more about these institutions' graduation rates, costs, and other key factors that may influence your decision.
Dakota Wesleyan University logo

Dakota Wesleyan University

The University of Montana logo

The University of Montana

Overview

Location Mitchell, South Dakota Missoula, Montana
Campus setting Town: Remote City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 71.0% 75.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 75.7% 82.1%
Application fees $110
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $60
SAT range 860 - 1100 1070 - 1280
ACT range 19 - 25 18 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 3.0% 9.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0% 41.0%
Total number of applicants 1,047 7,233
Total number of admissions given out 793 5,941
Admitted students who chose to enroll 169 1,542
Yield rate 21.3% 26.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $43,080
In state: $23,736

Out of state: $44,720
Average net price $21,830 $15,228
Tuition $29,700
In state: $5,352

Out of state: $26,112
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,350

Meal plan: $4,200
Room/dormitory: $4,730

Meal plan: $6,324
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

100.0%
Average amount $18,033
97.0%
Average amount $6,340
Students receiving federal student loan 92.0%
Average amount $5,049
44.0%
Average amount $5,401
Students taking out private loans 26.0%
Average amount $13,323
4.0%
Average amount $13,104

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 770
Men 42.9% Women 57.1%
7,223
Men 41.9% Women 58.1%
Graduate students 156
Men 35.3% Women 64.7%
2,883
Men 37.0% Women 63.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 1.1% 1.9%
Campus local/setting Town: Remote City: Small
Dormitory capacity 520 2,886
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Natural Resources and Conservation
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
Students to faculty ratio 12:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.9% 47.7%
Dropout rate 38.3% 49.1%
Transferred out 6.9% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,155
  • Year 2: $57,603
  • Year 3: $64,357
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $55,254
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $39,369
  • Year 3: $42,345
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $34,526
  • Year 3: $39,391
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,019
  • Year 3: N/A
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,046
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,416
  • Year 3: N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,623
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: N/A
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,396
  • Year 2: $113,016
  • Year 3: $118,046
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,692
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $71,476
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,746
  • Year 2: $58,673
  • Year 3: $65,366
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $52,107
  • Year 3: $65,302
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,886
  • Year 2: $62,707
  • Year 3: $64,764
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,287
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: $61,703
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,687
  • Year 2: $52,433
  • Year 3: $59,094
Public Administration (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,412
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $52,044
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,236
  • Year 2: $39,729
  • Year 3: $50,914
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,604
  • Year 2: $45,852
  • Year 3: $48,041

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