Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD · Public four-year · Town: Distant
3,279undergraduates
96%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$16,474average net price per year
40%graduate in 6 years
72%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 1,617
- Admitted
- 1,527
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Admit rate, women
- 94%
- Admit rate, men
- 95%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 32%
- First-year students
- 489
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 1%
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 73%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 18-23
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Not considered |
| Essay or personal statement | Not considered |
| Class rank | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered |
| Legacy status | Not considered |
Majors
37 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (6)
- Accounting Certificate (under 1 year) (5 awarded), Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Business Administration and Management, General Associate (7 awarded), Bachelor's (55 awarded)
- Business/Commerce, General Certificate (under 1 year) (10 awarded)
- Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded)
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded)
- Tourism and Travel Services Management Associate (4 awarded)
Education (5)
- Elementary Education and Teaching Bachelor's (35 awarded)
- Kindergarten/Preschool Education and Teaching Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Music Teacher Education Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Special Education and Teaching, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
Biological and biomedical sciences (1)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General Associate (19 awarded), Bachelor's (18 awarded)
Liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities (1)
- General Studies Associate (19 awarded), Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Visual and performing arts (5)
- Art/Art Studies, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Fine/Studio Arts, General Bachelor's (8 awarded)
- Graphic Design Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded), Bachelor's (7 awarded)
- Music, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Photography Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Bachelor's (7 awarded)
Psychology (1)
- Psychology, General Bachelor's (30 awarded)
Parks, recreation, leisure, fitness, and kinesiology (2)
- Outdoor Education Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Sport and Fitness Administration/Management Bachelor's (25 awarded)
Social sciences (4)
- American Government and Politics (United States) Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded)
- Political Science and Government, General Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Social Sciences, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Sociology, General Certificate (under 1 year) (8 awarded), Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Public administration and social service professions (1)
- Community Organization and Advocacy Bachelor's (20 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (2)
- English Language and Literature, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
- Rhetoric and Composition Bachelor's (2 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (2)
- Communication and Media Studies, Other Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Mass Communication/Media Studies Certificate (under 1 year) (2 awarded), Bachelor's (5 awarded)
Mathematics and statistics (1)
- Mathematics, General Bachelor's (9 awarded)
Physical sciences (3)
- Chemistry, General Bachelor's (3 awarded)
- Physical Sciences, Other Bachelor's (5 awarded)
- Physics, General Bachelor's (1 awarded)
History (1)
- History, General Bachelor's (7 awarded)
Foreign languages, literatures, and linguistics (1)
- Spanish Language and Literature Certificate (under 1 year) (3 awarded), Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Area, ethnic, cultural, gender, and group studies (1)
- American Indian/Native American Studies Bachelor's (1 awarded)
Graduate programs (8)
- Curriculum and Instruction Master's
- Reading Teacher Education Master's
- Secondary Education and Teaching Master's
- Special Education and Teaching, General Master's
- Business Administration and Management, General Master's
- Organizational Behavior Studies Master's
- Sustainability Studies Master's
- Molecular Genetics Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $9,000
- Tuition and fees, out-of-state
- $12,100
- Housing and food on campus
- $7,400
- Books and supplies
- $1,200
- Other on-campus costs
- $4,500
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $22,100
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $25,200
- Total cost living at home
- $14,700
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $12,475 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $13,564 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $17,864 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $19,145 |
| Over $110,000 | $19,987 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23 and paid in-state tuition.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 90%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 74%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $5,158
- Got a grant from the college
- 58%
- Average grant from the college
- $2,866
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 18%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 55%
- Average amount borrowed
- $6,728
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 25%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 36%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 40%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 44%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 39%
- Came back for year two
- 72%
| Pell grant students | 30% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 53% |
| Neither | 44% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 291 | 48% |
| Men | 164 | 27% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 23 | 26% |
| Asian | 5 | 40% (small group) |
| Black | 5 | 0% (small group) |
| Hispanic | 27 | 37% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 1 | 0% (small group) |
| White | 371 | 42% |
| Two or more races | 16 | 19% (small group) |
| Race unknown | 1 | 0% (small group) |
| International | 6 | 100% (small group) |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 528 | 43% | 32% |
| Started here, part-time | 69 | 19% | 32% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 364 | 55% | 30% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 143 | 29% | 42% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 3,475
- Undergraduates
- 3,279
- Full-time undergraduates
- 1,579
- Part-time undergraduates
- 1,700
- Graduate students
- 196
- Students per faculty member
- 17 to 1
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 11%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 38%
| Women | 63% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 3% |
| Asian | 1% |
| Black | 2% |
| Hispanic | 4% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 79% |
| Two or more races | 2% |
| Race unknown | 7% |
| International | 2% |
Campus life
- Setting
- Town: Distant
- Address
- 1200 University St, Spearfish, SD, 57799-9500
- County
- Lawrence County
- Part of
- South Dakota Board of Regents
- Type
- Master's Colleges & Universities: Small Programs
- Highest degree
- Master's degree
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- football, basketball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Army ROTC, Study abroad, Teacher certification, Weekend or evening classes, Online programs, Credit for AP exams
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.