More selective than 86% of North 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 $20,567. College Scorecard.
Higher than 69% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 43% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 42% of North Dakota colleges we cover and 43% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
DSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 831 applicants, Dickinson State University admitted 499 and 226 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
DSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North 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 DSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Dickinson State University took 4.6 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 North Dakota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,479 | $48,099 | 4.8 years |
| $30–48k | $8,094 | $37,151 | 3.7 years |
| $48–75k | $12,985 | $59,601 | 5.9 years |
| $75–110k | $15,484 | $71,072 | 7.0 years |
| $110k+ | $16,922 | $77,672 | 7.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (19% 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 ($50,720) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in ND (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $10,110 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.
DSU majors, earnings & careers
Dickinson State University offers 30 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Business & Finance · 6
- Science & Math · 5
- Humanities & Languages · 4
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 4
- Arts & Design · 3
- Technology & Computing · 3
- Education · 2
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at DSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing | $81,904 | $31,000 |
| Finance | $76,040 | — |
| Business Administration | $67,169 | $27,197 |
| Accounting | $66,147 | $27,321 |
| Human Resources | $64,488 | $33,519 |
| Agriculture | $52,529 | — |
| Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | $42,639 | — |
Quick list of all 30 majors
- Accounting$66,147
- Agriculture$52,529
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Biology—
- Business—
- Business Administration$67,169
- Chemistry—
- Communications—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Criminal Justice—
- Data Processing—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Finance$76,040
- History—
- Human Resources$64,488
- Information Science / Studies—
- International Business—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science—
- Mathematics—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other$42,639
- Music—
- Nursing$81,904
- Political Science—
- Psychology—
- Social Sciences—
- Theatre—
- 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
Accounting → Accountant / auditor
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Dickinson
2 bedrooms $1,231.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 19 inches of rain a year, 35 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (very high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Stark County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Stark County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare DSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson State University | 37% | $14,092 | 51% | $50,720 | This school |
| Mayville State University | — | $11,456 | 41% | $47,828 | |
| Bismarck State College | — | $10,270 | 47% | $54,277 | |
| Minot State University | 65% | $12,703 | 45% | $51,759 | |
| Sitting Bull College | — | $4,605 | 22% | $28,488 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Dickinson State University would cost you $2,636 more per year than Mayville State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Dickinson State University, mostly from lower housing & meal costs (−$1,348).
- Mayville State University gives aided families $2,726 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Dakota resident | DSU | Mayville State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $9,118 | $7,979 | +$1,139 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,000 | +$200 |
| Housing & meals | $7,740 | $9,088 | −$1,348 |
| Personal & travel | $3,500 | $3,100 | +$400 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$991 | −$510 | −$481 |
| Sticker price | $20,567 | $20,657 | −$90 |
| Average grants | −$6,475 | −$9,201 | +$2,726 |
| You pay | $14,092 | $11,456 | +$2,636 |
“+” means DSU 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 DSU
What is the DSU acceptance rate?
Dickinson State University accepts 37% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 499 of 831 applicants were admitted.
How much does Dickinson State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $20,567 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,092 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $10,479 and families earning $110k+ pay $16,922.
How much do DSU graduates earn?
Former Dickinson State University students earn a median $50,720 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the DSU graduation rate?
51% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year.
How long does a DSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Dickinson State University costs about $59,601 after grants ($12,985 a year for 4.6 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $50,720 ten years after starting, $10,110 more than high school graduates in North Dakota ($40,610), so the cost is repaid in 5.9 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
Is DSU the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing DSU with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
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: “Dickinson State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/dickinson-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).