Madison, SD · Clery Act 2024 · Public

Dakota State University

Across 2022–2024, Dakota State University reported 6 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Rape). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Northern State University.

0.79
Incidents / 1k students
#523
Rank of 2,072
#9
SD rank
3,774
Enrolled students

0.79 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students

Dakota State University reports 0.79 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 82% below University of Mount Saint Vincent. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Mount Saint Vincent (0.79/1k); Stetson University (10.86/1k); Jefferson College (6.09/1k); SUNY College of Technology at Alfred (3.17/1k); The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (1.58/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k); Kairos University (0.00/1k); Oglala Lakota College (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey

incidents / 1,000 students
0.79
of 2,072 ranked nationally
#523
safer than ranked campuses its size
75%
Criminal Offenses, 2024
0
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Data updated August 2026

Clery Act plate

Sheet 219082 · Dakota State University 0.79/1k score rate · #523/2,072

RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-UPPER · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO

  • RATE-QUIET 0.79/1k
  • RANK-MID #523/2,072
  • ST-UPPER #9 in state
  • PEER-FINISH University of Mount Saint · ±0.00
  • ZERO-NONE Scored
  • TREND-DOWN ↓ 100%
  • CAT-LEAD Rape
  • ENR-SMALL 3,774
  • FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed

Nearest enrollment peer: University of Mount Saint Vincent (+0.00/1k)

Dakota State University sheet RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-UPPER · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO · peer University of Mount Saint Vincent. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.

Clery plate RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-UPPER · PEER-FINISH · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-SMALL · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is University of Mount Saint Vincent (+0.00/1k). National rank #523 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.

Dakota State University reports 0.79 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 82% below University of Mount Saint Vincent. Similar-enrollment scored peers: University of Mount Saint Vincent (0.79/1k); Stetson University (10.86/1k); Jefferson College (6.09/1k); SUNY College of Technology at Alfred (3.17/1k); The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (1.58/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k); Kairos University (0.00/1k); Oglala Lakota College (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.

Peer-rate neighbourhood around Dakota State University

Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Dakota on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.

per 1,000 students

What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Dakota State University's 0.79/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.

Source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey (Clery Act) As of 2024

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2024

-2 reported incidents

Dakota State University decreased from 2 to 0 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

Signature insight · size does not equal danger

Campus size vs reported safety rate

Among 14 SD 4-year peers in this comparison, Dakota State University is larger than 85% and safer-reporting than 54% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.

Smaller · Safer-reportingLarger · Safer-reportingSmaller · Higher-reportingLarger · Higher-reporting026.352.578.8105020.240.460.680.8Enrollment size, percentile in sampleSafer-reporting percentile (lower rate)Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 77 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 31Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 69 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 46Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 62 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 62Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 54 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 0Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 46 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 69Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 38 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 8Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 31 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 77Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 23 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 77Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 15 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 77Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 8 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 23Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 0 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 77Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 92 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 15Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 100 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 38Dakota State University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample: 85 · Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate): 54
Enrollment vs Clery incidents per 1,000 (inverted to safety percentile), 2024 reporting year
Read the chart as text
  • Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 77, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
  • Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 46
  • Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 62, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 62
  • Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 54, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
  • Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 46, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
  • Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 38, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
  • Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
  • Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 23, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
  • Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 15, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
  • Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 23
  • Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 77
  • Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 15
  • Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 38
  • Dakota State University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 85, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 54
Read the chart as a table
CampusEnrollmentRate / 1kSize pctSafety pct
Sisseton Wahpeton College2060.00077
Sinte Gleska University5921.69823
Dakota Wesleyan University8920.001577
Oglala Lakota College1,1880.002377
Kairos University1,2390.003177
Mount Marty University1,2844.67388
University of Sioux Falls1,4500.694669
Augustana University2,3908.79540
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology2,5760.786262
Black Hills State University3,3460.906946
Northern State University3,7081.627731
Dakota State University (this campus)3,7740.798554

Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.

What changed between 2023 and 2024

Reported on-campus incidents at Dakota State University fell from 2 to 0 (-100%). The decrease shows up in Burglary (1 to 0) and Rape (1 to 0).

This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.

What actually gets reported at Dakota State University

Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 2 Clery Act categories here: Rape and Burglary. Rape accounts for most of them.

The remaining 9 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Aggravated Assault, Arson, Fondling and Incest. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.

Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

Dakota State University: Criminal Offenses by year

Declining 100% (4 → 0 incidents)

0246 202220232024 On-campus incidents, 2022: 4On-campus incidents, 2023: 2On-campus incidents, 2024: 0 4 0 ▼ -100.0%
Read the chart as text
Period On-campus incidents
2022 4
2023 2
2024 0
Crime Type 202420232022
Rape 014
Burglary 010
Aggravated Assault 000
Arson 000
Fondling 000
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 000
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Robbery 000
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2024 0 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

9 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
9 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2024 0 1
Liquor 2024 0 7
Weapons 2024 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 13
Weapons 2023 0 0
Drugs 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 4 6
Weapons 2022 0 0

Dakota State University vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).

Selected

SD

Dakota State University

0.79 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#523
Enrollment
3,774
Data year
2024

FL

Stetson University

10.86 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#1,954
Enrollment
3,775
Data year
2024

Cost context

Where Dakota State University sits on price and outcomes

See South Dakota's cost ranking

At $21,057, Dakota State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 80% among 20 South Dakota colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $18,146.

$21,057
average net price
$18,146
South Dakota median
2.0×
six-year earnings to median debt
$5,952
reported income-bracket spread

Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $17,317 for families reporting under $30,000 against $23,269 above $110,000, a difference of $5,952. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $21,057 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.

Six-year median earnings of $46,146 run about 2.2 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.

Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$9,654
Out-of-State Tuition
$12,756
Avg Net Price
$21,057
Median Debt
$23,500
Pell Grant Recipients
17%
How does this cost rank in SD? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
88%
SAT Average
1215
SAT Math Range
620-760
ACT Average
23
ACT Range
20-27

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
50%
Retention Rate
75%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$46,146
Median Earnings (10yr)
$50,970
Loan Repayment (3yr)
86%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Similar Institutions

Showing 5 of 1,195 similar institutions by enrollment size.

University of Mount Saint Vincent
Bronx, NY · 3,774 enrolled
Safety Score 0.79
Stetson University
Deland, FL · 3,775 enrolled
Safety Score 10.86
Jefferson College
Hillsboro, MO · 3,775 enrolled
Safety Score 6.09
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY · 3,781 enrolled
Safety Score 3.17
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · 3,786 enrolled
Safety Score 1.58

Closest by National Rank

Dakota State University (national rank #523) sits near University of Mount Saint Vincent (#522) and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (#524) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.

University of Mount Saint Vincent
Bronx, NY
National Rank #522
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX
National Rank #524
Coastal Alabama Community College
Bay Minette, AL
National Rank #521
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY
National Rank #525
City Colleges of Chicago-Richard J Daley College
Chicago, IL
National Rank #520

Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate

Two Clery-derived peer sets for Dakota State University, both outside SD so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).

Similar enrollment (nationwide)

University of Mount Saint Vincent
Bronx, NY · 3,774 enrolled
Safety score 0.79
Stetson University
Deland, FL · 3,775 enrolled
Safety score 10.86
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY · 3,781 enrolled
Safety score 3.17
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX · 3,786 enrolled
Safety score 1.58
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston, SC · 3,793 enrolled
Safety score 2.90
University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX · 3,794 enrolled
Safety score 0.53
Lewis-Clark State College
Lewiston, ID · 3,801 enrolled
Safety score 1.58
Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies
Fayette, MO · 3,802 enrolled
Safety score 0.26

Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, TX · 33,881 enrolled
Safety score 0.80
University of Northwestern Ohio
Lima, OH · 2,525 enrolled
Safety score 0.79
CUNY Hunter College
New York, NY · 22,538 enrolled
Safety score 0.80
Kean University
Union, NJ · 13,905 enrolled
Safety score 0.79
Marywood University
Scranton, PA · 2,530 enrolled
Safety score 0.79
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Guayama
Guayama, PR · 2,487 enrolled
Safety score 0.80
Taylor University
Upland, IN · 2,548 enrolled
Safety score 0.78

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dakota State University safe?
Dakota State University has a safety score of 0.79 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #523 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: University of Mount Saint Vincent (0.79/1k). Same-state same-level set: Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k); Kairos University (0.00/1k); Oglala Lakota College (0.00/1k).
What crimes are reported at Dakota State University?
None in the Criminal Offenses section. Dakota State University reported zero in every category in that section for calendar year 2024. VAWA, arrests, disciplinary referrals, and fire records are separate tables.
How does Dakota State University compare to similar schools?
Dakota State University reports 82% fewer 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than University of Mount Saint Vincent. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: University of Mount Saint Vincent (0.79/1k); Stetson University (10.86/1k); Jefferson College (6.09/1k); SUNY College of Technology at Alfred (3.17/1k); The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (1.58/1k). Same-state same-level set: Northern State University (1.62/1k); Black Hills State University (0.90/1k); South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (0.78/1k); Augustana University (8.79/1k); University of Sioux Falls (0.69/1k); Mount Marty University (4.67/1k); Kairos University (0.00/1k); Oglala Lakota College (0.00/1k).
Does Dakota State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Dakota State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.