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Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD

Tuition

$8,764

Acceptance

96%

Students

2,131

Type

University

Setting

Rural

Distance from home

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Cost & Financial Aid

In-State Tuition

$8,764

Out-of-State Tuition

$11,866

Avg On-Campus Living

$7,400

Avg Off-Campus Living

$7,528

Financial Aid & Outcomes

CollegeScorecard · 2024

What will it actually cost?

Sticker price$16,164
Net price (after aid)$15,911

Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.

Net price by family income

$0 – $30k$11,863
$30k – $48k$13,379
$48k – $75k$15,588
$75k – $110k$18,072
$110k+$18,604

After graduation

Median earnings (10yr)$46,674
Median debt at graduation$26,000
Est. monthly loan payment$276

Earnings-to-debt ratio

Moderate · 1.8×

Graduates earn about 1.8× their median debt every year.

Financial access

Students on Pell Grants20%

Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.

Students with federal loans28%

Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.

Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.

How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.

Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

43%

Freshman Retention

72%

Source: CollegeScorecard (2024)

Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.

Scholarships available

Decision support · Cost & value

Quick Decision Highlights

The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.

Cost advantage

Affordable public option

In-state tuition in the lower range for public universities.

This school$8.8k
Public 4-yr avg$11k
Source: CollegeScorecard 2024

Lower net price

$15.9k below avg

Out-of-state value

$11.9k below avg

Strong aid for lower incomes

Reported net price for the $0–30k band runs below average.

Affordability snapshot

In-state tuition

$8.8k

below avg

Out-of-state

$11.9k

below avg

Net price

$15.9k

below avg

Pell

20%

Median debt

$26k

Earnings (10y)

$46.7k

“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.

Admissions

Acceptance rate

96%

SAT range

950 - 1150

ACT range

18 - 23

Actions

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Location

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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school

Institution does not report this

Spearfish, SD 57799

Academics

Studying online: a large share study entirely online

In Fall 2023, 1,340 of Black Hills State University's 3,475 students (39%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 986 (28%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.

Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.

U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023

Fields of study

Black Hills State University reported conferring credentials in 35 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.

Campus & Student Life

Area Safety Rating

Similar schools

Frequently asked questions

About Black Hills State University

Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.

Where is Black Hills State University located?
Black Hills State University is located in Spearfish, SD, in the United States.
What type of institution is Black Hills State University?
Black Hills State University is a public university based in SD. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
What is the acceptance rate at Black Hills State University?
The most recently reported acceptance rate at Black Hills State University is approximately 96%. Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
What is the tuition at Black Hills State University?
Black Hills State University's published in-state tuition is approximately $8,764 per year. This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
How many students attend Black Hills State University?
Black Hills State University reports total enrollment of approximately 2,131 students (undergraduate plus graduate). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
How much does Black Hills State University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Black Hills State University is approximately $15,911 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $11,863 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $18,604. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
What is the graduation rate at Black Hills State University?
Black Hills State University reports a graduation rate of approximately 43%. This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
How much student debt do graduates of Black Hills State University have?
Students who borrowed at Black Hills State University left with a median of approximately $26,000 in federal loans, and about 28% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
How much do graduates of Black Hills State University earn?
Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $46,674 for students who received federal financial aid at Black Hills State University. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
How should I verify final details about Black Hills State University?
CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Black Hills State University.

Fields this college awarded credentials in

The 14 largest of 35 fields Black Hills State University reported, by credentials conferred in 2023-24, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.

Fields Black Hills State University reported conferring credentials in during 2023-24, with the number awarded and the highest credential level.
FieldAwardedLevel
Business Administration, Management and Operations69Graduate7 graduate · 55 bachelor's · 7 associate
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods47Graduate10 graduate · 37 bachelor's
Biology, General37Bachelor's18 bachelor's · 19 associate
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities33Bachelor's14 bachelor's · 19 associate
Psychology, General30Bachelor's
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness25Bachelor's
Community Organization and Advocacy20Bachelor's
Sociology17Bachelor's9 bachelor's · 8 certificate
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas17Graduate8 graduate · 9 bachelor's
Accounting and Related Services15Bachelor's10 bachelor's · 5 certificate
Fine and Studio Arts11Bachelor's
Human Resources Management and Services11Graduate8 graduate · 3 certificate
Business/Commerce, General10Certificate
Communication and Media Studies10Bachelor's8 bachelor's · 2 certificate

Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.

Data sources & methodology

Reporting period: 2024Last verified: June 10, 2026

Facts on this profile of Black Hills State University are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.

Sources used across this page

Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.

Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.

Suggested citation

CampusPin. (2024). Black Hills State University, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/black-hills-state-university

About this information

CampusPin compiles college information from recent publicly available data, including federal and institutional sources. College information can change as institutions and public agencies release new data.

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