Dakota State University

Public · Moderately Selective · SD

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationSD · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads2,071

Student:faculty18:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate34.2%

6-yr grad rate51.3%

Drop-out rate24.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$10k

Out-of-state tuition$13k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity25.7%

Gender diversity35.7%

International6.4%

Identity—

Overview

Dakota State University sits in Madison, South Dakota, and has built its identity almost entirely around computing — cybersecurity, computer science, and information systems dominate the course catalog and the campus conversation. What began decades ago as a teachers' college pivoted hard toward technology, and that pivot is now the school's defining trait: even its education majors graduate with technology credentials layered onto their licensure. It functions as a small, specialized institution punching well above its size in a narrow, in-demand lane.

Academics

The National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security have named Dakota State a center of academic excellence in cyber-related fields, a designation the university treats as central rather than a footnote. Programs in cyber operations, computer science, and network security draw students who want direct pipelines into government and defense-adjacent employers. Class sizes stay small, and many courses are taught by faculty with direct industry or government cyber experience. A campus-wide culture of hands-on labs and competitive cyber-defense teams reinforces the technical focus.

Campus & student life

Madison is a small South Dakota town, and campus culture reflects that — quiet, close-knit, and centered on the technology buildings more than a traditional quad social scene. Students who thrive here tend to be drawn to computing clubs and cyber-defense competitions rather than a sprawling social calendar. Athletics exist at the NSIC level but are not the organizing force of student identity the way the tech programs are.

Getting in

Dakota State admits with an eye toward technical aptitude and interest more than an elaborate holistic file — students headed for cyber, computer science, or information systems programs benefit from showing real engagement with computing before they arrive. The process is straightforward relative to more selective technical schools.

After graduation

Graduates move directly into cybersecurity, IT, and network administration roles with government agencies, defense contractors, and regional employers, helped by the university's federal cyber designations and recruiting relationships with agencies that value graduates who already understand government security protocols.

Worth knowing

The NSA/DHS center-of-excellence designation is the single most useful thing to know about Dakota State — it signals program rigor and government hiring credibility a school this size wouldn't otherwise carry. Even non-technical majors take a noticeably tech-infused curriculum.

dsu.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate88%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 1190–1440 · ACT 20–27

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying