Dakota Wesleyan vs Oklahoma Wesleyan: Softball Program Comparison
Two NAIA programs. Oklahoma Wesleyan lists $1,424 less in tuition; Dakota Wesleyan graduates 18 points more of its students.
Which one is right for you?
Neither school is better in the abstract — they are better for different athletes. These are the differences big enough to actually decide on.
Lean Dakota Wesleyan if…
- Finishing the degree is the priority: Dakota Wesleyan graduates 18 percentage points more of its students than Oklahoma Wesleyan.
Lean Oklahoma Wesleyan if…
- You are weighing the degree as an investment: Oklahoma Wesleyan graduates earn about $6,113 more per year a decade after enrolling.
- You want to leave with less owed: median debt at Oklahoma Wesleyan is $2,187 lower than at Dakota Wesleyan.
- You need an evaluation this summer: we track 3 camps at Oklahoma Wesleyan against none listed at Dakota Wesleyan.
What it costs to go there
Published sticker price from IPEDS. Almost nobody pays it — athletic, academic and need-based aid all come off the top — but the gap between two schools is a fair read on the gap between two offers.
| Measure | Dakota Wesleyan | Oklahoma Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & feesBoth schools charge one rate regardless of residency. | $32,890 | $31,466 — Oklahoma Wesleyan leads on this measure: lower published tuition |
| Room & board | $7,600 — Dakota Wesleyan leads on this measure: lower room & board | $9,182 |
| Est. year, all inTuition & fees plus room & board. Excludes books, travel and any aid. | $40,490 | $40,648 |
What you leave with
Federal College Scorecard figures for all students at the institution, not softball players specifically. Read them as a signal about the degree, not about the program.
| Measure | Dakota Wesleyan | Oklahoma Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation rate | 46% — Dakota Wesleyan leads on this measure: higher share of students finishing their degree | 28% |
| Median earnings, 10 years after entry | $53,728/yr | $59,841/yr — Oklahoma Wesleyan leads on this measure: higher median earnings a decade out |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 | $24,813 — Oklahoma Wesleyan leads on this measure: less debt carried out the door |
| Debt as a share of year-10 payMedian debt divided by median earnings 10 years after entry. Lower is easier to pay back. | 50% | 41% — Oklahoma Wesleyan leads on this measure: debt is a smaller share of what graduates earn |
Getting in, and what you'd walk into
Admissions and size. A coach can support your file, but at most schools they cannot admit you — the academic profile below is the bar you still have to clear.
| Measure | Dakota Wesleyan | Oklahoma Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Admission rateLower means more selective — harder to get in, but not automatically the better fit. | 73% | 66% |
| Total enrollmentNeither is better — it is the difference between a lecture hall and a seminar table. | 886 | 947 |
| Where it is | Mitchell, SD | Bartlesville, OK |
The softball program itself
Division and conference set the ceiling; the postseason record and staff tell you what the program has actually done with it.
| Measure | Dakota Wesleyan | Oklahoma Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Conference | GPAC | KCAC |
| Head coach | Stephen Oswald Jr. | Shawn Woods |
How you actually get in front of them
Camps and questionnaires are the two channels a recruit controls. Where a program runs its own camp, that camp is usually the shortest path to being evaluated by the staff that would recruit you.
| Measure | Dakota Wesleyan | Oklahoma Wesleyan |
|---|---|---|
| Camps we track | — | 3 listed (3 with dates) |
| Recruiting questionnaire | Yes | — |
| Program on X / Instagram | — | Yes |
Scholarship money, honestly
Both programs sit at NAIA, so the scholarship rules are identical: 10 (equivalency). NAIA softball allows 10 scholarship equivalencies, and coaches have flexibility in how they divide them. Most awards are partial, frequently stacked with academic aid.
What to do about it this week
Questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules, so you can submit one at any age. A program's own camp is where its staff does most of its evaluating — submit the questionnaire first so they know to look for you.
Dakota Wesleyan
Open the recruiting questionnaireCamps we track
None listed right now. Camp schedules go up through the winter — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
Oklahoma Wesleyan
Find the recruiting questionnaireWe do not hold a verified form link for this program — this opens a search.
Camps we track
- Prospect Camp09/12/2026 · 9th Grade - College Sophomore · $100
- Prospect Camp10/24/2026 · 9th Grade - College Sophomore · $100
- Prospect Camp12/19/2026 · 9th Grade - College Sophomore · $100
Dakota Wesleyan vs Oklahoma Wesleyan: common questions
- Is Dakota Wesleyan or Oklahoma Wesleyan cheaper?
- Published cost is effectively the same — about $40,490 a year in tuition and housing at both, before any aid. Cost is unlikely to be what decides this one.
- Which school graduates more of its students, Dakota Wesleyan or Oklahoma Wesleyan?
- Dakota Wesleyan, at 46% against 28% at Oklahoma Wesleyan (IPEDS, 2023-24). That is the whole student body, not the softball roster.
- Do Dakota Wesleyan and Oklahoma Wesleyan offer softball scholarships?
- Both play at NAIA: 10 (equivalency). NAIA softball allows 10 scholarship equivalencies, and coaches have flexibility in how they divide them. Most awards are partial, frequently stacked with academic aid.
- Do Dakota Wesleyan and Oklahoma Wesleyan run softball camps?
- We track 3 camps at Oklahoma Wesleyan and none currently listed at Dakota Wesleyan. Camp listings change through the year — check the program's own site before ruling it out.
- How do I contact the coaches at Dakota Wesleyan and Oklahoma Wesleyan?
- Dakota Wesleyan runs a recruiting questionnaire — submit it first, since questionnaires are exempt from NCAA contact-date rules. For Oklahoma Wesleyan, we do not hold a verified form link, so start from the program page and email the staff directly.
Cost, graduation and enrollment figures from IPEDS (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2023-24). Earnings, debt and admission rates from the federal College Scorecard. Postseason results from the NCAA Division I softball tournament records, 2021-2026. Rankings from NCAA.com and U.S. News & World Report. Figures describe the institution, not the softball roster.
We work hard to keep all data for Dakota Wesleyan and Oklahoma Wesleyan accurate and up-to-date, but we sometimes miss changes or get something wrong.
Still deciding between them?
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