Dakota Wesleyan University

Student body

Graduate gender splits aren't published in this data, so the gender chart covers undergraduates only.

By the numbers

Undergraduate enrollment

670

Graduate enrollment

121

Student–faculty ratio

12 : 1

Pell Grant recipients

27%

First-generation students

29%

Students over 25

10%

Median family income

$68,742

Avg faculty salary (academic year)

$62,658

Endowment

$42,834,214

Colleges don't publish true class-size data; student–faculty ratio (IPEDS) is the closest public measure of it.

Admissions

Admission rate

73.4%

Test scores

Not considered

SAT range (25th–75th %)

—

SAT average

—

SAT reading

—

SAT math

—

ACT composite

—

Cost

In-state tuition

$33,790

Room & board

$8,100

Books & supplies

$1,500

Total cost of attendance

$43,864

Average net price

$19,735

Net price is the total cost minus grants and scholarships — what students actually pay. It varies sharply by family income; see the breakdown below.

Outcomes

Graduated (within 6 years)

48%

Graduated on time (4 years)

43%

First-year retention

75%

Transferred to another college

22%

Median earnings, 6 years after entry

$49,432

Median earnings, 10 years after entry

$53,728

Median debt at graduation

$27,000

Students with federal loans

73%

Paying down their loans (1 year in)

64%

Graduating on time

By student background (4 years)

When these bars run close together, students from every background tend to finish at similar rates — a sign the school supports the ~30% who are first-gen or low-income.

Campus life & athletics

On-campus housing

Yes

Dorm capacity

512

Dorm capacity vs undergrads

76%

Housing charge (year)

$3,450

Meal plan (year)

$4,600

Application fee

Free

Athletics

NAIA Division I

Football conference

Great Plains Athletic Conference

Varsity athletes

292 (178 men · 114 women)

Housing and fees: IPEDS 2023–24. Athletics rosters: Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25. Dorm capacity can include graduate and family housing, so the share of undergrads can top 100%.

Varsity sports (9)

Athlete counts per sport, Equity in Athletics data, 2024–25.

Campus safety

Safety grade

A

Reported offenses per 1,000 students

0.0 / year

Violent offenses (2022–2024)

0

Property offenses (2022–2024)

0

On-campus criminal offenses reported under the Clery Act, 2022–2024, across 1 campus (892 students). Counts reflect reports, not convictions — schools with strong reporting cultures often show more, so a higher count doesn't simply mean a more dangerous campus.

What you'll actually pay, by family income

Average net price (total cost minus grants and scholarships) paid by aided students in each family-income band.

College Scorecard / IPEDS, most recent year. Family income is total household income; net price covers tuition, fees, room, board and supplies after grant aid, for students receiving federal aid.

Four-year (or more) true cost

Net price for your family's income, projected across the time it actually takes students here to graduate.

$15,927/year × about 4.2 years — most students here don't finish in exactly four, and each extra term adds cost. A planning estimate from net-price and graduation-timing data, not a bill.