- Acceptance rate: 88% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.47, as reported by the college for 2025–26
- SAT, middle 50%: 570–680 reading and writing, 620–760 math
- ACT, middle 50%: 20–27 composite
- Average net price: $19,115 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what Dakota State University reported: an average GPA of 3.47 (2025–26), an acceptance rate of 88% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 20–27.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Dakota State University reviews each application.
Dakota State University average GPA
Dakota State University reported an average high school GPA of 3.47 for its first-year students who submitted one (100% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 | |
| 1.00–1.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
Dakota State University acceptance rate
Dakota State University admitted 2,129 of 2,418 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 88%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
Dakota State University is a public 4-year university in Madison, South Dakota, with 3,066 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered Dakota State University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading and Writing | 570 | 620 | 680 |
| SAT Math | 620 | 700 | 760 |
| ACT Composite | 20 | 24 | 27 |
| ACT English | 18 | 22 | 25 |
| ACT Math | 19 | 24 | 27 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1215 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What Dakota State University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Required |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Not considered |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Not considered |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
Dakota State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $19,115 a year at Dakota State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for Dakota State University?
It would be on the low side there: 18% of Dakota State University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 88% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
How important is GPA for getting into Dakota State University?
A lot: Dakota State University requires high school GPA, high school record and high school class rank. It considers test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider college preparatory program, recommendations, essay or personal statement, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
What percent of applicants does Dakota State University accept?
Dakota State University's acceptance rate was 88% for fall 2024: it admitted 2,129 of 2,418 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
How hard is it to get into Dakota State University?
Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. Dakota State University admitted 88% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores to apply to Dakota State University?
Check Dakota State University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Dakota State University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 16% sent SAT scores and 67% sent ACT scores.
What GPA do most Dakota State University students have?
59% of Dakota State University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (28%) had 3.75–3.99, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
What GPA do you need to get into Dakota State University?
Dakota State University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.47, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
What SAT and ACT scores do Dakota State University students have?
The middle 50% of Dakota State University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 570–680 in reading and writing and 620–760 in math; ACT composite 20–27, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
Does Dakota State University give credit for AP exams?
Yes. Dakota State University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What do students pay at Dakota State University after grants?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $19,115 a year at Dakota State University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check Dakota State University's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: Dakota State UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- Dakota State University Common Data Set 2025–26Dakota State University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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