More selective than 22% of South Dakota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $21,277. College Scorecard.
Higher than 25% of South Dakota colleges we cover and 29% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 25% of South Dakota colleges we cover and 31% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
BHSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,617 applicants, Black Hills State University admitted 1,527 and 489 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 965–1135 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
BHSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for South Dakota residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What BHSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Black Hills State University took 4.5 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in South Dakota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,863 | $53,146 | 4.9 years |
| $30–48k | $13,379 | $59,938 | 5.5 years |
| $48–75k | $15,588 | $69,834 | 6.4 years |
| $75–110k | $18,072 | $80,963 | 7.4 years |
| $110k+ | $18,604 | $83,346 | 7.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($46,674) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,877 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
BHSU majors, earnings & careers
Black Hills State University offers 35 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 6
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Science & Math · 5
- Arts & Design · 4
- Education · 3
- Communications & Media · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Engineering · 1
Highest-earning majors at BHSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | $69,079 | — |
| Business Administration | $59,626 | $27,000 |
| Kinesiology / Exercise Science | $55,622 | $24,000 |
| Education (Subject Teaching) | $52,883 | — |
| Sociology | $49,833 | $37,329 |
| Special Education | $48,332 | $26,812 |
| Communications | $45,537 | — |
| Education (Elementary / Secondary) | $44,958 | $26,312 |
Quick list of all 35 majors
- Accounting$69,079
- Biology$40,967
- Business Administration$59,626
- Chemistry—
- Communications$45,537
- Community Organization and Advocacy$42,781
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$44,958
- Education (Subject Teaching)$52,883
- English—
- Entrepreneurship—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$29,733
- History—
- Hospitality Management—
- Human Resources—
- Industrial Production Technologies / Technicians—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$55,622
- Liberal Arts / General Studies—
- Mathematics—
- Music—
- Outdoor Education—
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$42,417
- Public Relations and Advertising—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology$49,833
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Special Education$48,332
- Studio Art—
- Writing—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Spearfish
2 bedrooms $1,207.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 21 inches of rain a year, 71 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Lawrence County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Lawrence County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare BHSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in South Dakota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Hills State University | 96% | $15,911 | 43% | $46,674 | This school |
| Northern State University | 93% | $15,812 | 49% | $47,618 | |
| Dakota State University | 88% | $21,057 | 51% | $50,970 | |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 80% | $20,183 | 53% | $72,257 | |
| University of South Dakota | 99% | $19,858 | 60% | $51,926 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Black Hills State University would cost you $99 more per year than Northern State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Black Hills State University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$2,900).
- Northern State University gives aided families $899 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, South Dakota resident | BHSU | NSU | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,764 | $8,845 | −$81 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 | $0 |
| Housing & meals | $7,400 | $10,300 | −$2,900 |
| Personal & travel | $4,500 | $3,000 | +$1,500 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$587 | −$1,268 | +$681 |
| Sticker price | $21,277 | $22,077 | −$800 |
| Average grants | −$5,366 | −$6,265 | +$899 |
| You pay | $15,911 | $15,812 | +$99 |
“+” means BHSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about BHSU
What is the BHSU acceptance rate?
Black Hills State University accepts 96% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,527 of 1,617 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 965–1135 on the SAT or 18–24 on the ACT.
How much does Black Hills State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $21,277 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,911 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,863 and families earning $110k+ pay $18,604.
How much do BHSU graduates earn?
Former Black Hills State University students earn a median $46,674 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the BHSU graduation rate?
43% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 72% return for their second year.
How long does a BHSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Black Hills State University costs about $69,834 after grants ($15,588 a year for 4.5 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $46,674 ten years after starting, $10,877 more than high school graduates in South Dakota ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 6.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Black Hills State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/black-hills-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).