Quad

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SDQuad's selectivityOpen
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

10 in 10 applicants admitted

Black Hills State admits about 10 in 10 applicants (96%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 10% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

96%

96%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

1,690

Admitted

1,628

Yield

30%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

965–1135

8001600
ACT middle 50%

18–24

1236
Applications +25% since fall 2014 · admit rate 94% → 96%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 1,928 undergrads, where 20% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

1.9K

undergrads · larger than 56% of colleges

Diversity index

0.50

Pell Grant

20%

below the median

First generation

28%

below the median

Distant townNCAA D-II · Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
Undergrads −34% since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (19% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 66% of faculty are full-time. Spends $6,388 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

19% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Accounting and Related Services

$69.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

66%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$6.4K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,814 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.5K less than the national median. The 76% who received grants paid $15,576 on average; the other 24% paid the full sticker price of $22,100 in-state / $25,200 out-of-state.

21%

$17.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $6.5K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$22,100 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 21% of full price

Federal loans

28%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost falling · −14% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $46,674 ten years after enrolling, more than at 29% of colleges; 44% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

44%

44%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$46.7K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$26K

≈ $276/month for 10 years

Retention

72%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 33% → 43% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 8% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid fell 14%, because grants grew faster. Applications rose 25% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 94% to 96%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −14% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +25%

  • Selectivity

    Steady

    admit rate 94% → 96%

  • Diversity

    Reported

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

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87% admit · 1.9K undergrads

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Lake Superior State University

1.3K undergrads

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Montana State University Billings

2.6K undergrads

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Massachusetts Maritime Academy

95% admit · 1.4K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    Black Hills State University (2026)

    Black Hills State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 219046 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything