Dickinson State University
Dickinson, ND · Public · Town (remote) · DSU
Public institution in Dickinson, ND · 1,108 undergraduates · 60% acceptance rate · $50,720 median earnings 10 years after entry.
- Top 17%Out-of-state tuition & fees
- Top 19%Cost of attendance
- Top 25%In-state tuition & fees
- Top 25%Acceptance rate
Stats
College Scorecard figures, each with where this school sits nationally among institutions that report the same measure. A dash means the school does not report it.
Cost
- Average net price
- $15,270705th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- In-state tuition & fees
- $9,118499th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Out-of-state tuition & fees
- $11,218340th cheapest of 2,024 reporting
- Cost of attendance
- $20,155379th cheapest of 1,969 reporting
- Median graduate debt
- $18,442485th lowest of 1,865 reporting
Outcomes
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry
- $50,7201,028th highest of 1,954 reporting
- Median earnings, 6 years after entry
- $48,628613th highest of 1,950 reporting
- Graduation rate (4-year)
- 43.4%1,398th highest of 2,014 reporting
- Full-time retention
- 60.4%1,580th highest of 1,837 reporting
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 60.1%404th most selective of 1,596 reporting
- Average SAT
- —
- Median ACT
- 19865th highest of 952 reporting
Campus
- Undergraduates
- 1,1081,305th largest of 2,144 reporting
- Student-faculty ratio
- 13.0:1979th smallest of 2,141 reporting
- Pell Grant share
- 21.8%1,615th highest of 2,122 reporting
Nearest large-hub airport: 481 mi (MSP)
On 3 of our 111 lists
Every published ranking this school appears on, with its rank there.
Best-paying fields of study
Median earnings one and two years after graduating, by field. Showing 12 of 31 reported programs.
| Field | Level | 1 yr | 2 yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingHealth Professions | bachelors | $59,948 | $63,005 |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $44,356 | — |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $44,170 | — |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherMultidisciplinary Studies | bachelors | $43,575 | $41,789 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBusiness | bachelors | $43,128 | $42,123 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsEducation | bachelors | $42,682 | $40,621 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBusiness | bachelors | $42,086 | $38,597 |
| Health and Physical Education/FitnessParks, Recreation & Fitness | bachelors | $39,009 | $42,682 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasEducation | bachelors | $36,042 | $42,682 |
| Agriculture, GeneralAgriculture | bachelors | $35,600 | $37,748 |
| Arts, Entertainment,and Media ManagementVisual & Performing Arts | bachelors | — | — |
| Biology, GeneralBiological Sciences | bachelors | — | — |
Campus facts
- Founded in 1918source
- Athletic nickname: "Blue Hawks"source
- School colors: #132E52 and #BFBFBFsource
- Mascot: Buster Blue Hawksource
- Motto: "Small Community. Big Opportunity."source
- Formerly known as "Dickinson State Normal School" (1918–1931)source
- Formerly known as "Dickinson State Teachers College" (1931–1963)source
- Formerly known as "North Dakota State College" (1963–1964)source
- Formerly known as "Dickinson State College" (1964–1965)source
- Formerly known as "State University of North Dakota at Dickinson" (1965–1987)source
- Athletic conference: NAIAsource
- A [[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program institutionsource
- A Space-grant]] institutionsource
Athletics — 11 sports
NAIA Division I · NAIA
Athletic scholarships allowed · Athletic aid $1,585,139 (M $910,563 · W $630,626 · Coed $43,950)
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Football
- Golf
- Other Sports
- Softball
- Track and Field (Indoor)
- Track and Field (Outdoor)
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Self-reported EADA participants (2024-2025). Athletic aid is institution-level, not per sport.
Similar-size colleges
Nearest undergraduate enrollment to Dickinson State University’s 1,108 (College Scorecard UGDS, compiled 2026-10-24). Size only — not a judgment of similarity or quality.
In ND
- University of JamestownJamestown, ND · 947 undergrads
- Valley City State UniversityValley City, ND · 918 undergrads
- Mayville State UniversityMayville, ND · 704 undergrads
- Turtle Mountain Community CollegeBelcourt, ND · 613 undergrads
- United Tribes Technical CollegeBismarck, ND · 532 undergrads
- Sitting Bull CollegeFort Yates, ND · 226 undergrads
Elsewhere
- McMurry UniversityAbilene, TX · 1,108 undergrads
- Emory & Henry UniversityEmory, VA · 1,107 undergrads
- Our Lady of the Lake UniversitySan Antonio, TX · 1,110 undergrads
- Dillard UniversityNew Orleans, LA · 1,111 undergrads
- Edgewood CollegeMadison, WI · 1,104 undergrads
- Vaughn College of Aeronautics and TechnologyFlushing, NY · 1,104 undergrads
Key links
- Official websitedickinsonstate.edu
- College ScorecardFederal source for every figure above (UNITID 200059)
- Compare colleges in NDRe-score with your weights
- The Most Selective Colleges in North DakotaEvery eligible four-year in this state, ranked by published admission rate
- Compare with University of JamestownSide by side on every Scorecard measure — closest in-state school by enrollment
- Showdown: Dickinson State University vs University of JamestownHigher-or-lower on real Scorecard metrics — round 1 is these two
- Sports directoryAll 11 EADA programs at this school
- Build an admissions plan8th–12th grade actions for this college — sports, activities, timeline
- MethodologyWhat these figures do and do not capture
- How to read a school page end to endStats, standings, lists, athletics, news — one profile, many jobs. Know which panel answers which question.
- Sticker price is a trapPublished tuition is a starting rumor. Net price is closer to what families actually pay.
- What acceptance rate actually measuresSelectivity is a competition statistic — not a quality score, and not your personal odds.
- A plan from eighth grade — without fake certaintySchool-anchored milestones, sports scarcity honesty, and EC playbooks — not invented admit odds.