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Basic Information

Type Public
Geographical Reach Regional
Location Spearfish, SD
Population 40,000
Website http://www.bhsu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%) very dry
Sunshine Hours 2,900 (84%)
Days Without Precipitation 273 (85%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 1,630
Men / Women 34% / 66%
From State 50%
From Region 32%
Athletes 32.8%

Racial/Ethnic

White 67%
Hispanic 5%
Native American 4%
Mixed 2%
International 2%
Asian 1%
Black 1%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 37.1% 37.1% 2012 Men: 37.0% 37.0% 2013 Men: 36.8% 36.8% 2014 Men: 38.4% 38.4% 2015 Men: 42.3% 42.3% 2016 Men: 35.3% 35.3% 2017 Men: 35.1% 35.1% 2018 Men: 34.2% 34.2% 2019 Men: 32.8% 32.8% 2020 Men: 31.4% 31.4% 2021 Men: 35.2% 35.2% 2022 Men: 32.6% 32.6% 2023 Men: 34.8% 34.8% 2024 Men: 31.4% 31.4%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 4.1% 4.1% 2012 Native: 5.5% 5.5% 2013 Native: 4.0% 4.0% 2014 Native: 4.8% 4.8% 2015 Native: 3.1% 3.1% 2016 Native: 5.1% 5.1% 2017 Native: 4.3% 4.3% 2018 Native: 5.4% 5.4% 2019 Native: 5.6% 5.6% 2020 Native: 6.1% 6.1% 2021 Native: 2.8% 2.8% 2022 Native: 5.0% 5.0% 2023 Native: 5.3% 5.3% 2024 Native: 2.9% 2.9% 2011 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2012 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2013 Asian: 1.5% 1.5% 2014 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2015 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2016 Asian: 0.2% 0.2% 2017 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2019 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2020 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2021 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2022 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2023 Asian: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2011 Black: 1.4% 1.4% 2012 Black: 0.3% 0.3% 2013 Black: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 Black: 0.6% 0.6% 2015 Black: 0.7% 0.7% 2016 Black: 0.9% 0.9% 2017 Black: 1.1% 1.1% 2018 Black: 0.6% 0.6% 2019 Black: 0.9% 0.9% 2020 Black: 1.1% 1.1% 2021 Black: 2.2% 2.2% 2022 Black: 1.7% 1.7% 2023 Black: 1.0% 1.0% 2024 Black: 1.8% 1.8% 2011 Hispanic: 1.4% 1.4% 2012 Hispanic: 2.7% 2.7% 2013 Hispanic: 0.8% 0.8% 2014 Hispanic: 2.6% 2.6% 2015 Hispanic: 3.5% 3.5% 2016 Hispanic: 3.2% 3.2% 2017 Hispanic: 4.0% 4.0% 2018 Hispanic: 4.2% 4.2% 2019 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2020 Hispanic: 5.2% 5.2% 2021 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2022 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2023 Hispanic: 6.3% 6.3% 2024 Hispanic: 6.7% 6.7% 2011 White: 81.7% 81.7% 2012 White: 83.0% 83.0% 2013 White: 87.1% 87.1% 2014 White: 83.5% 83.5% 2015 White: 87.6% 87.6% 2016 White: 86.3% 86.3% 2017 White: 85.6% 85.6% 2018 White: 84.0% 84.0% 2019 White: 81.1% 81.1% 2020 White: 79.8% 79.8% 2021 White: 81.1% 81.1% 2022 White: 80.7% 80.7% 2023 White: 81.5% 81.5% 2024 White: 79.0% 79.0% 2011 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2015 International: 0.9% 0.9% 2016 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2017 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2018 International: 0.2% 0.2% 2019 International: 0.4% 0.4% 2020 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2021 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2022 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2023 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2024 International: 1.6% 1.6%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 3.9% 3.9% 2021 Native: 3.0% 3.0% 2022 Native: 1.8% 1.8% 2023 Native: 2.2% 2.2% 2024 Native: 4.3% 4.3% 2025 Native: 3.7% 3.7% 2020 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2021 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2022 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2023 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2025 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2020 Black: 1.4% 1.4% 2021 Black: 1.0% 1.0% 2022 Black: 0.6% 0.6% 2023 Black: 0.7% 0.7% 2024 Black: 2.0% 2.0% 2025 Black: 1.4% 1.4% 2020 Hispanic: 5.6% 5.6% 2021 Hispanic: 5.5% 5.5% 2022 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2023 Hispanic: 3.2% 3.2% 2024 Hispanic: 3.9% 3.9% 2025 Hispanic: 5.2% 5.2% 2020 White: 80.2% 80.2% 2021 White: 84.0% 84.0% 2022 White: 87.5% 87.5% 2023 White: 88.1% 88.1% 2024 White: 79.5% 79.5% 2025 White: 67.1% 67.1% 2020 International: 1.6% 1.6% 2021 International: 1.6% 1.6% 2022 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2023 International: 1.5% 1.5% 2024 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2025 International: 1.5% 1.5%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Business and Natural Sciences 140 32% / 68% 3% $55,301 63 97%
Chemistry 5 — 40% / 60% 20% $52,126 55 —
Mathematics 7 — 29% / 71% 0% $65,609 79 —
Physical Sciences 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $70,141 84 —
Physics 1 — 0% / 100% 0% $69,579 83 —
Biology 29 — 21% / 79% 7% $43,291 30 100%
Accounting 8 — 38% / 62% 0% $73,042 86 100%
Business Administration 61 — 39% / 61% 2% $58,999 70 95%
Sport Management 25 — 28% / 72% 0% $49,341 48 97%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Education and Behavioral Sciences 75 15% / 85% 1% $48,489 45 89%
Psychology 23 — 13% / 87% 4% $39,138 18 90%
Elementary Education 34 — 6% / 94% 0% $51,586 54 87%
Physical Education 10 — 50% / 50% 0% $55,737 64 92%
Preschool Education 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $51,586 54 87%
Science Teacher Education — — — — $55,737 64 —
Special Education 4 — 0% / 100% 0% $52,651 57 94%
Speech Teacher Education — — — — $55,737 64 —
Music Education 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $55,737 64 92%
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
College of Liberal Arts 111 38% / 62% 0% $41,529 25 94%
Outdoor Education 6 — 50% / 50% 0% $49,123 47 —
Communication Studies 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $47,568 43 94%
Community Organization and Advocacy 16 — 38% / 62% 0% $35,770 12 92%
English 12 — 25% / 75% 0% $41,846 26 —
General Studies 13 — 46% / 54% 0% $43,447 30 —
History 11 — 82% / 18% 0% $44,999 35 —
Mass Communication 5 — 40% / 60% 0% $47,568 43 94%
Native American Studies — — — — $44,770 34 —
Political Science 4 — 50% / 50% 0% $52,554 56 —
Public Relations and Advertising 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $52,009 55 —
Rhetoric and Composition — — — — $42,931 29 —
Social Sciences 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $44,916 35 —
Sociology 5 — 20% / 80% 0% $45,507 36 90%
Spanish 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $44,548 34 —
Fine Arts 4 — 0% / 100% 0% $36,752 14 —
Graphic Design 9 — 33% / 67% 0% $31,032 6 100%
Music 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $38,389 17 —
Photography 3 — 67% / 33% 0% $36,262 13 —
Studio Art 9 — 11% / 89% 0% $36,694 13 —

Financial

In-State Tuition & Fees $9,207
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees $12,624
Est. In-State Cost $11,910
Est. Out-of-State Cost $16,330
ROI Percentile 47th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 72%
4-Year Graduation Rate 29%
6-Year Graduation Rate 43%
Transfer-Out Rate 0%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 12% 24% 36% 48% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 28.6% 28.6% 2012 Graduated: 37.8% 37.8% 2013 Graduated: 33.5% 33.5% 2014 Graduated: 33.0% 33.0% 2015 Graduated: 36.1% 36.1% 2016 Graduated: 38.9% 38.9% 2017 Graduated: 35.3% 35.3% 2018 Graduated: 34.3% 34.3% 2019 Graduated: 37.7% 37.7% 2020 Graduated: 39.3% 39.3% 2021 Graduated: 42.5% 42.5% 2022 Graduated: 44.3% 44.3% 2023 Graduated: 38.6% 38.6% 2024 Graduated: 42.6% 42.6%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 28.6% 28.6% 2012 Men: 31.0% 31.0% 2013 Men: 31.9% 31.9% 2014 Men: 31.5% 31.5% 2015 Men: 32.3% 32.3% 2016 Men: 32.8% 32.8% 2017 Men: 29.8% 29.8% 2018 Men: 29.1% 29.1% 2019 Men: 32.5% 32.5% 2020 Men: 32.4% 32.4% 2021 Men: 30.5% 30.5% 2022 Men: 37.6% 37.6% 2023 Men: 24.6% 24.6% 2024 Men: 32.3% 32.3% 2011 Women: 28.6% 28.6% 2012 Women: 42.5% 42.5% 2013 Women: 34.7% 34.7% 2014 Women: 33.9% 33.9% 2015 Women: 39.0% 39.0% 2016 Women: 43.0% 43.0% 2017 Women: 38.6% 38.6% 2018 Women: 37.4% 37.4% 2019 Women: 40.7% 40.7% 2020 Women: 43.8% 43.8% 2021 Women: 51.4% 51.4% 2022 Women: 48.0% 48.0% 2023 Women: 46.5% 46.5% 2024 Women: 48.1% 48.1%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic White
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2012 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2013 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2014 Hispanic: 21.4% 21.4% 2015 Hispanic: 31.6% 31.6% 2016 Hispanic: 38.1% 38.1% 2017 Hispanic: 36.4% 36.4% 2018 Hispanic: 35.0% 35.0% 2019 Hispanic: 19.4% 19.4% 2020 Hispanic: 37.5% 37.5% 2021 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2022 Hispanic: 26.7% 26.7% 2023 Hispanic: 34.4% 34.4% 2024 Hispanic: 30.0% 30.0% 2011 White: 31.0% 31.0% 2012 White: 40.5% 40.5% 2013 White: 31.6% 31.6% 2014 White: 33.8% 33.8% 2015 White: 37.8% 37.8% 2016 White: 42.0% 42.0% 2017 White: 36.8% 36.8% 2018 White: 37.9% 37.9% 2019 White: 39.2% 39.2% 2020 White: 41.6% 41.6% 2021 White: 44.4% 44.4% 2022 White: 48.5% 48.5% 2023 White: 40.1% 40.1% 2024 White: 42.9% 42.9%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 31.0% 101 36% / 64% 1% $42,308 27 91%
Business & Economics 28.8% 94 36% / 64% 1% $57,626 67 96%
Education 15.3% 50 14% / 86% 0% $52,501 56 89%
Arts 8.9% 29 24% / 76% 0% $36,330 13 98%
Life & Natural Sciences 8.9% 29 21% / 79% 7% $43,291 30 100%
Physical Sciences & Math 5.2% 17 29% / 71% 6% $62,943 76 —
Health Sciences 1.8% 6 50% / 50% 0% $49,123 47 —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Life & Natural Sciences $1.6M #276 84% $0 — — — —
Education $0.6M #282 93% $0 — — — —
Computer Science $0.3M #322 97% $0 — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math $0.2M #521 96% $0 — — — —
Business & Economics $0.0M #445 0% $0 — — — —
Humanities & Social Sciences $0.0M #538 50% $0 — — — —
Agriculture & Food Science $0 #318 — $0 — — — —
Engineering $0 #449 — $0 — — — —
Health Sciences $0 #441 — $0 — — — —
Total $2.6M #463 88% $0 — — — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 97%
Yield (Unbound) 27%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 97% 97% 97%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 94.2% 94.2% 2012 Acceptance: 91.0% 91.0% 2013 Acceptance: 89.2% 89.2% 2014 Acceptance: 94.1% 94.1% 2015 Acceptance: 84.0% 84.0% 2016 Acceptance: 79.8% 79.8% 2017 Acceptance: 86.9% 86.9% 2018 Acceptance: 88.3% 88.3% 2019 Acceptance: 83.9% 83.9% 2020 Acceptance: 97.1% 97.1% 2021 Acceptance: 97.3% 97.3% 2022 Acceptance: 96.6% 96.6% 2023 Acceptance: 94.4% 94.4% 2024 Acceptance: 96.3% 96.3% 2011 Yield: 44.6% 44.6% 2012 Yield: 45.2% 45.2% 2013 Yield: 72.5% 72.5% 2014 Yield: 40.0% 40.0% 2015 Yield: 44.7% 44.7% 2016 Yield: 43.9% 43.9% 2017 Yield: 37.7% 37.7% 2018 Yield: 29.8% 29.8% 2019 Yield: 29.2% 29.2% 2020 Yield: 40.2% 40.2% 2021 Yield: 33.6% 33.6% 2022 Yield: 31.5% 31.5% 2023 Yield: 32.0% 32.0% 2024 Yield: 30.1% 30.1%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 1,250 2,500 3,750 5,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 1,476 1,476 2012 Applicants: 1,301 1,301 2013 Applicants: 957 957 2014 Applicants: 1,356 1,356 2015 Applicants: 1,385 1,385 2016 Applicants: 1,611 1,611 2017 Applicants: 1,693 1,693 2018 Applicants: 1,858 1,858 2019 Applicants: 2,129 2,129 2020 Applicants: 1,119 1,119 2021 Applicants: 1,382 1,382 2022 Applicants: 1,579 1,579 2023 Applicants: 1,617 1,617 2024 Applicants: 1,690 1,690 2011 Admitted: 1,390 1,390 2012 Admitted: 1,184 1,184 2013 Admitted: 854 854 2014 Admitted: 1,276 1,276 2015 Admitted: 1,164 1,164 2016 Admitted: 1,285 1,285 2017 Admitted: 1,472 1,472 2018 Admitted: 1,641 1,641 2019 Admitted: 1,787 1,787 2020 Admitted: 1,087 1,087 2021 Admitted: 1,344 1,344 2022 Admitted: 1,526 1,526 2023 Admitted: 1,527 1,527 2024 Admitted: 1,628 1,628 2011 Enrolled: 620 620 2012 Enrolled: 535 535 2013 Enrolled: 619 619 2014 Enrolled: 510 510 2015 Enrolled: 520 520 2016 Enrolled: 564 564 2017 Enrolled: 555 555 2018 Enrolled: 489 489 2019 Enrolled: 521 521 2020 Enrolled: 437 437 2021 Enrolled: 452 452 2022 Enrolled: 481 481 2023 Enrolled: 489 489 2024 Enrolled: 490 490

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 72%
SAT Range 960 – 1130
SAT Math Range 500 – 570
SAT RW Range 460 – 560

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2013 25th: 853 853 2014 25th: 860 860 2015 25th: 858 858 2016 25th: 880 880 2017 25th: 893 893 2018 25th: 958 958 2019 25th: 970 970 2020 25th: 1038 1038 2021 25th: 970 970 2022 25th: 970 970 2024 25th: 965 965 2013 75th: 1229 1229 2014 75th: 1056 1056 2015 75th: 1055 1055 2016 75th: 1100 1100 2017 75th: 1216 1216 2018 75th: 1180 1180 2019 75th: 1170 1170 2020 75th: 1203 1203 2021 75th: 1150 1150 2022 75th: 1085 1085 2024 75th: 1135 1135

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 450 500 550 600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2013 25th: 430 430 2014 25th: 420 420 2015 25th: 428 428 2016 25th: 440 440 2017 25th: 435 435 2018 25th: 468 468 2019 25th: 480 480 2020 25th: 483 483 2021 25th: 450 450 2022 25th: 485 485 2024 25th: 500 500 2013 75th: 594 594 2014 75th: 523 523 2015 75th: 555 555 2016 75th: 530 530 2017 75th: 588 588 2018 75th: 580 580 2019 75th: 580 580 2020 75th: 588 588 2021 75th: 570 570 2022 75th: 590 590 2024 75th: 570 570

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2013 25th: 423 423 2014 25th: 440 440 2015 25th: 430 430 2016 25th: 440 440 2017 25th: 458 458 2018 25th: 490 490 2019 25th: 490 490 2020 25th: 555 555 2021 25th: 520 520 2022 25th: 485 485 2024 25th: 465 465 2013 75th: 635 635 2014 75th: 533 533 2015 75th: 500 500 2016 75th: 570 570 2017 75th: 628 628 2018 75th: 600 600 2019 75th: 590 590 2020 75th: 615 615 2021 75th: 580 580 2022 75th: 495 495 2024 75th: 565 565

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 90.0% 90.0% 2012 Submitted: 84.0% 84.0% 2013 Submitted: 94.0% 94.0% 2014 Submitted: 64.0% 64.0% 2015 Submitted: 94.0% 94.0% 2016 Submitted: 90.0% 90.0% 2017 Submitted: 88.0% 88.0% 2018 Submitted: 92.0% 92.0% 2019 Submitted: 95.0% 95.0% 2020 Submitted: 88.0% 88.0% 2021 Submitted: 85.0% 85.0% 2022 Submitted: 75.0% 75.0% 2023 Submitted: 74.0% 74.0% 2024 Submitted: 72.0% 72.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.