Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Dakota State University, Savannah State University, Central State University. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Dakota StateMadison, SD | Savannah StateSavannah, GA | Central StateWilberforce, OH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 88.0% | Not reportedNot reported by Savannah State University in the most recent federal collection. | 98.6% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1190–1440 | Not reportedSavannah State University did not report an SAT score range for its most recent entering class. | Not reportedCentral State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. |
| Average net price | $21,05716.8% on Pell grants | $8,17267.5% on Pell grants | $13,09652.7% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $9,654 in-state · $12,756 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $5,750 in-state · $19,043 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $8,058 in-state · $10,058 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.3% | 28.0% | 22.8% |
| First-year retention | 75.5% | 74.7% | 55.9% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 16.8% | 67.5% | 52.7% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $50,970 | $37,981 | $33,267 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,500 | $28,000 | $30,739 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 19:1 | 21:1 | 17:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,071 | 2,833 | 2,620 |
| Consensus percentile | 70Lower is better | 64Lower is better | 71Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 69 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 68 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 38 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Dakota State | Savannah State | Central State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #91 of 165Regional univ. (Midwest)Regional Universities (Midwest) · 2026 | #112 of 135Regional univ. (South)Regional Universities (South) · 2026 | #65 of 94Regional colleges (Midwest)Regional Colleges (Midwest) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Washington Monthly | #1438 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #688 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #1371 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | #492 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | #488 of 500U.S. colleges (WSJ)Best Colleges in the U.S. · 2026 | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #767 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #778 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1395 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Dakota State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Savannah State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Central State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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