<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER PRIME INCOME TRUST
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2,915,755,082
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 2,862,927,684
<RECEIVABLES> 30,338,534
<ASSETS-OTHER> 3,766,105
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,897,032,323
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> (12,702,709)
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> (12,702,709)
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 2,948,052,125
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 296,722,545
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 254,813,996
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 3,089,631
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (13,984,744)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (52,827,398)
<NET-ASSETS> 2,884,329,614
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
<INTEREST-INCOME> 251,170,051
<OTHER-INCOME> 5,802,707
<EXPENSES-NET> (32,739,788)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 224,232,970
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (5,523,905)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (38,361,789)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 180,347,276
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (221,847,859)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 60,576,915
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (28,531,603)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 9,863,237
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 704,520
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (8,460,839)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (9,285,954)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> (22,919,576)
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> (32,862,373)
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,708,697,005
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 9.87
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.82
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.16)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.81)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.72
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.21
</TABLE>
