Dakota Wesleyan University

www.dwu.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$32,500

2.52% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$22,990

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

73.4%

1,247 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

892

80.6% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

47.9%

70 Graduates

About

Dakota Wesleyan University is a higher education institution located in Davison County, SD. In 2024, the most popular Masters Degree concentrations at Dakota Wesleyan University were Other Business, Management, Marketing, & Related Support Services (46 degrees awarded), Athletic Trainer (6 degrees), and General Education (5 degrees).

In 2024, 234 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Dakota Wesleyan University. 56.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 43.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (193 degrees), 8.39 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (23 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Dakota Wesleyan University is $32,500, which is $4,322 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Baccalaureate Colleges

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Dakota Wesleyan University is $32,500, which is $4,322 more than the national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,990.

In 2024, 79% of undergraduate students attending Dakota Wesleyan University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 73% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$32,500

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Dakota Wesleyan University was $32,500. The cost of tuition at Dakota Wesleyan University is $4,322 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Baccalaureate Colleges ($28,178).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$22,990

2024 Value

4.97%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Dakota Wesleyan University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $22,990. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Dakota Wesleyan University grew by 4.97%.

This chart compares the average net price of Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$8,300

Room and Board

$1,500

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Dakota Wesleyan University was of $8,300 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 0.912% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,500. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

79%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

73%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

79% of undergraduate students at Dakota Wesleyan University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 16% with respect to 2023, when 94% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Dakota Wesleyan University received 1,247 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 8.15% annual growth. Out of those 1,247 applicants, 915 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 73.4% acceptance rate.

There were 892 students enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University in 2024. 3% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Dakota Wesleyan University has an overall enrollment yield of 21%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

73.4%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

915

Accepted Out of 1,247

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Dakota Wesleyan University was 73.4% (915 admissions from 1,247 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 72.8%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 8.15%, while admissions grew by 9.06%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2022)

Scores Submitted (2022)

3% of enrolled first-time students at Dakota Wesleyan University in 2022 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Dakota Wesleyan University had a total enrollment of 892 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Dakota Wesleyan University is 719 students and the part-time enrollment is 173. This means that 80.6% of students enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Dakota Wesleyan University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 81.8% White, 6.39% Hispanic or Latino, 4.82% Two or More Races, 2.02% Black or African American, 1.12% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.673% Asian.

Students enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (42%), followed by White Male (38.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (4.1%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (45.4%), followed by White Female (41.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (3.55%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

80.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Dakota Wesleyan University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 892 students. The full-time enrollment at Dakota Wesleyan University is 719 and the part-time enrollment is 173. This means that 80.6% of students enrolled at Dakota Wesleyan University are enrolled full-time compared with 78.9% at similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

75%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Dakota Wesleyan University was 75%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Baccalaureate Colleges (75%), Dakota Wesleyan University had a retention rate approximately the same as its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Dakota Wesleyan University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
730 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
57 enrolled students
Two or More Races
43 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Dakota Wesleyan University is 81.8% White, 6.39% Hispanic or Latino, 4.82% Two or More Races, 2.02% Black or African American, 1.12% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.673% Asian. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Baccalaureate Colleges is 50.5% White, 15.6% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.2% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 4 students (0.448%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 30 more women than men received degrees from Dakota Wesleyan University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Dakota Wesleyan University is white (193 degrees awarded). There were 8.39 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (23 degrees).

The most common Masters Degree concentration at Dakota Wesleyan University is Other Business, Management, Marketing, & Related Support Services (46 degrees awarded), followed by Athletic Trainer (6 degrees) and General Education (5 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Dakota Wesleyan University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Education (40 degrees awarded), Business (84 degrees), and Visual & Performing Arts (15 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Dakota Wesleyan University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,715,002 people), Accountants & auditors (1,049,090 people), Other managers (908,381 people), Secondary school teachers (602,274 people), and Financial managers (557,251 people).

The most specialized majors at Dakota Wesleyan University in 2024 are Education (40 degrees awarded), Business (84 degrees), Visual & Performing Arts (15 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (3 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (6 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Dakota Wesleyan University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Nurse anesthetists, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at Dakota Wesleyan University are Education (40 degrees awarded), Business (84 degrees), Visual & Performing Arts (15 degrees), Natural Resources & Conservation (3 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (6 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Dakota Wesleyan University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,338,122 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (702,899 people), Computer Systems Design (690,053 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (538,110 people), and Construction (521,097 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Dakota Wesleyan University.

Most Common (2024)

General Business Administration & Management
5 degrees awarded
General Studies
2 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common associates degree concentration at Dakota Wesleyan University was General Business Administration & Management with 5 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from associates degree programs at Dakota Wesleyan University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

102

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

132

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 102 degrees were awarded to men at Dakota Wesleyan University, which is 0.773 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (132).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Dakota Wesleyan University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 32 degrees were awarded to men at Dakota Wesleyan University in Other Business, Management, Marketing, & Related Support Services, which is 2.29 times more than the 14 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 39 degrees were awarded to men at Dakota Wesleyan University in Registered Nursing, which is 13 times more than the 3 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

44%

100% Completion Time

46%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 44% of students graduating from Dakota Wesleyan University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 46% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 47% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Baccalaureate Colleges Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
193 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
23 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
9 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Dakota Wesleyan University is white (193 degrees awarded). There were 8.39 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (23 degrees).

0.427% of degree recipients (1 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
209 degrees awarded
White Female
130 degrees awarded
White Female
128 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Dakota Wesleyan University is white female (209 degrees awarded). There were 1.61 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (130 degrees).

Operations

Dakota Wesleyan University has an endowment valued at nearly $42.8M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 5.49M (12.8%) compared to the 7.58% average return (3.75M on 49.5M) across all Baccalaureate Colleges.

In 2024, Dakota Wesleyan University had a total salary expenditure of 22.2M. Dakota Wesleyan University employs 16 Assistant professors, 14 Professors and 11 Associate professors. Most academics at Dakota Wesleyan University are Female Assistant professor (11), Male Professor (10), and Female Associate professor (9).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Dakota Wesleyan University are: Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 36 employees, Management, with 22 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 13 employees.

Endowment

$42.8M

2024 Endowment

13.7%

growth from 2023

Dakota Wesleyan University has an endowment valued at about $42.8M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Dakota Wesleyan University grew 13.7% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $6.62M lower than than the median endowment of Baccalaureate Colleges according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Dakota Wesleyan University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$8.6M

2024 Salaries

0.98%

decline from 2023

In 2024, Dakota Wesleyan University paid a median of $8.6M in salaries, which represents 38.7% of their overall expenditure ($22.2M) and a 0.98% decline from the previous year. This is compared to a 8.4% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 1% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$2.82M

Instructional Salaries

Number of Employees

In 2024, Dakota Wesleyan University paid a total of $2.82M to 45 employees working as instructors, which represents 32.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $522k (3.48%) for similar Baccalaureate Colleges.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Dakota Wesleyan University were Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 36 employees, Management with 22 employees, and Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 13 employees.

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