Dordt University
#10 Best Business Colleges in IowaBottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 10.6× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $10.6 over 20 years. Ranked #10 in Best Business Colleges in Iowa.
Every $1 spent returns $10.6 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $992,269.
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What The Data Says
A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
Earnings 29% above the national college median.
Every $1 invested returns $10.6 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Dordt University Matters
Dordt University is a private university in Sioux Center, IA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private University
- Carnegie Class
- Master's University
- Enrollment
- 1,597
- Setting
- Town
- Designations
- 35
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Education, Engineering, Health Professions
Why students choose Dordt University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 68% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1070–1330. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,807 a year after grants and scholarships — 51% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $52,559 ten years after enrolling — 29% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 0.3% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 98% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.73 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Dordt University has an acceptance rate of 68%, making it accessible for many students. With an enrollment of 1,597, it maintains a close-knit community that encourages participation and engagement. This environment fosters personal connections and support among students and faculty.
Graduates from Dordt University earn a median salary of $52,559 ten years after enrollment. While specific mobility rates are not available, the focus on practical programs such as Business, Education, Engineering, and Health Professions suggests a commitment to equipping students for the workforce. This positions graduates for steady career paths and economic stability.
The net price for attending Dordt University is $25,807, and the median debt is $21,500. Financial considerations are important for students here, especially those who may rely on Pell Grants, which are awarded to 20% of the student body. Students who thrive at Dordt often appreciate the community-based learning environment and are motivated to engage deeply in their fields.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Dordt University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Dordt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 68%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,221. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 68%.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Dordt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
When weighing the true cost of attending Dordt University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $37,050 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $25,807 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $22,597 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,500.
What Families Actually Pay
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Dordt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Dordt University earn a median of $52,559, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
How Dordt Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Dordt University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Dordt University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,807/year ($103,228 total). Graduates earn $52,559 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,095,497 in total earnings — a net gain of $992,269 (10.6× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Dordt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Dordt University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.34%, a more modest figure. Access is narrower — only about 3.8% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,500, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields Dordt University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Dordt University's most popular programs, with median pay and projected growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Dordt University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements +
Based in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt University admits a majority of applicants, with an acceptance rate of roughly 68%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,221. The school reports a graduation rate of roughly 68%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Dordt University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid +
When weighing the true cost of attending Dordt University, prospective students should look past the published sticker price of $37,050 in tuition. The figure that matters more is the average net price — the actual out-of-pocket cost after federal grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans — which works out to about $25,807 for families who qualify for aid. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $22,597 after need-based grants. Graduates leave with a median federal student-loan debt of about $21,500.
Is Dordt University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI +
Ten years out, alumni of Dordt University earn a median of $52,559, roughly in line with national averages for graduates.
Does Dordt University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes +
Dordt University is a measurable contributor to upward mobility: its mobility rate — the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top — is 0.34%, a more modest figure. Access is narrower — only about 3.8% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 9.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $80,500, a useful read on the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Dordt University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks +
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Dordt University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.73 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Dordt University.
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Dordt University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital — the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility — runs high at Dordt University, with an economic connectedness score of 1.73 (about 1.0 is the national norm). Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds genuinely mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note