Dakota Wesleyan University
Dakota Wesleyan University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
Dakota Wesleyan University Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Christian Colleges in South Dakota
- #2 Best Private Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #3 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in South Dakota
- #3 Best Small Colleges in South Dakota 2026
- #4 Best Online MBAs South Dakota
- #5 South Dakota's Best Online Colleges 2026
- #5 Best Colleges in South Dakota
- #6 South Dakota's Best Online Master's Degrees
About Dakota Wesleyan University
According to Wikipedia, Dakota Wesleyan University is a private Methodist university in Mitchell, South Dakota. It was founded in 1885 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The student body averages slightly fewer than 800 students. The campus of the university is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Dakota Wesleyan University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,153 | 73% | 75% | 54% |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does Dakota Wesleyan University Cost To Attend?
| Tuition and fees (in-state) |
|---|
| $34,540 |
| Income | Average Net Cost |
|---|---|
| 0 - 30K | $24,500 |
| 30K - 48K | $25,545 |
| 48K - 75K | $24,247 |
| 75K - 110K | $22,897 |
| 110K+ | $24,105 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
How Much Do Dakota Wesleyan University Graduates Make?
Ten years after starting college, former Dakota Wesleyan University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $57,757 a year, and 96% of those not still in school are working.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.
Dakota Wesleyan University's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 982 | 820 | 162 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is Dakota Wesleyan University?
Dakota Wesleyan University is located at 1200 W University Ave, Mitchell, SD 57301-4398.
How Safe is Dakota Wesleyan University?
No violent or property offenses were reported on Dakota Wesleyan University’s campus in 2024. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.
Relative to its enrollment, Dakota Wesleyan University has a violent crime rate of less than 0.01% and a property crime rate of less than 0.01%. Mitchell has a violent crime rate of 0.26% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 2.01%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.
What Is Dakota Wesleyan University Known For?
Dakota Wesleyan University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Political Science
- Economics
- Biology
- History
- Nursing
- Medical
- Psychology
- Mathematics
- Education
- Social Work
- Religious Studies
- Communications
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Business
- Physics
- Literature
- Computer Science
- Criminal Justice
Dakota Wesleyan University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much Dakota Wesleyan University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
Dakota Wesleyan University ranks #972 in the U.S. and #4199 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1009 in the U.S. and #5508 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1068 in the U.S. and #4457 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1078 in the U.S. and #3395 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1143 in the U.S. and #2902 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1360 in the U.S. and #4642 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1589 in the U.S. and #4187 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1694 in the U.S. and #6390 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1725 in the U.S. and #6658 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1726 in the U.S. and #4555 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1765 in the U.S. and #7924 worldwide for influence in Religious Studies.
religious-studies-hub DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1890 in the U.S. and #7049 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #1918 in the U.S. and #5672 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #2139 in the U.S. and #7460 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #2336 in the U.S. and #8352 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #2489 in the U.S. and #8440 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #2584 in the U.S. and #8387 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #3029 in the U.S. and #11101 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesDakota Wesleyan University ranks #3111 in the U.S. and #6683 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesWho Are Dakota Wesleyan University's Most Influential Alumni?
Dakota Wesleyan University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Nursing, History, and Psychology. Here are some of Dakota Wesleyan University's most famous alumni:
