Dordt University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Sioux Center, Iowa. It enrolls 1,597 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
63/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes76
Value21
Affordability23
Selectivity63
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 68.5%, Dordt University is moderately selective.
Acceptance Rate
68.5%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1070 – 1330
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
21 – 29
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Dordt University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
4.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Dordt University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $25,807 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$25,807
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
20%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
41%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$37,050
Room & Board (on-campus)
$11,770
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,360
Books & Supplies
$1,080
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,500
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,510
Total Cost of Attendance
$51,733
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$22,597
$30,001 – $48,000
$21,083
$48,001 – $75,000
$24,079
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,113
Over $110,000
$29,940
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$4,75010%percentile
$8,75025%percentile
$21,500Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$30,50090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,794
↓ $2,706
No Pell $15,750
↓ $5,750
Female students $18,250
↓ $3,250
Male students $17,500
↓ $4,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
64% of full-time students who enrolled at Dordt University graduate within six years, and 85% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
64%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
85%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Dordt University earn a median of $52,559 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$52,559
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$32,100
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$57,600
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$37,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$44,300
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$48,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $25,500, about 44% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Stable ↑
2.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 97% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Dordt University is home to 1,597 students, a mid-sized community.
Total Enrolled
1,597
Part-Time
1%
First-Generation
12%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 81.0%1,294
International 9.0%143
Hispanic 2.3%36
Other 2.1%34
Asian 0.9%15
Black 0.6%10
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Dordt University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Town: RemoteSioux Center, Iowa
Housing
Strongly residential1,509 beds for 1,597 students
Adult Learners
1%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Religiously affiliated
What You Can Study
Dordt University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
68 distinct programs across
24 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dordt University is 14:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$191M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$63,904
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
98 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
50
51%
$69,527
Associate Professors
15
15%
$62,362
Assistant Professors
11
11%
$57,999
Instructors
22
22%
$55,126
Pros & Cons of Dordt University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Dordt University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Reasonable class sizes
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
Above-average net price
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Frequently Asked Questions about Dordt University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Dordt University.
Is Dordt University hard to get into?
Admissions at Dordt University are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 68.5%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Dordt University?
Dordt University has an acceptance rate of 68.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Dordt University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Dordt University scored between 1070 and 1330 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Dordt University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Dordt University scored between 21 and 29 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Dordt University cost?
The average net price after aid at Dordt University is $25,807 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Dordt University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $52,559 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $25,807 per year. That's roughly 2.0x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Dordt University known for?
Dordt University is best known for its programs in Teacher Education (K-12), Educational Administration, Curriculum & Instruction. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Dordt University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Dordt University are $52,559, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Dordt University accredited?
Yes. Dordt University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Dordt University?
Dordt University enrolls 1,597 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Dordt University?
Dordt University graduates 64% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Dordt University a public or private college?
Dordt University is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Dordt University located?
Dordt University is located in Sioux Center, Iowa.
What programs does Dordt University offer?
Dordt University offers 68 distinct programs. The most popular include Teacher Education (K-12), Educational Administration, Curriculum & Instruction.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Dordt University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Dordt University is 14:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in Iowa
Other colleges in Iowa share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Rehabilitation
Kinesiology
Related Guides
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
