Black Hills State University (BHSU) vs NSU-Aberdeen

Black Hills State University and Northern State University, both esteemed public universities in South Dakota, offer distinct educational experiences. Black Hills State, nestled in the scenic Black Hills region, boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for aspiring students. Northern State, located in the vibrant city of Aberdeen, attracts a diverse student body, with a higher percentage of international students. While Black Hills State excels in fields like business and education, Northern State shines in nursing and social work. Both universities prioritize student success, reflected in their comparable graduation rates. Explore the detailed comparison table to discover more about these institutions' unique strengths and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Black Hills State University	Northern State University
Overview
Location	Spearfish, South Dakota	Aberdeen, South Dakota
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	61.0%	68.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	97.3%	79.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35
SAT range	970 - 1150	1020 - 1190
ACT range	18 - 23	18 - 24
Students submitting SAT score	6.0%	5.0%
Students submitting ACT score	79.0%	80.0%
Total number of applicants	1,382	1,229
Total number of admissions given out	1,344	981
Admitted students who chose to enroll	452	337
Yield rate	33.6%	34.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Required	Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $22,100 Out of state: $25,200	In state: $23,495 Out of state: $26,597
Average net price	$15,895	$16,821
Tuition	In state: $7,700 Out of state: $10,800	In state: $7,616 Out of state: $10,718
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,680 Meal plan: $3,622	Room/dormitory: $4,800 Meal plan: $4,350
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	89.0% Average amount $4,736	89.0% Average amount $5,662
Students receiving federal student loan	58.0% Average amount $4,966	65.0% Average amount $4,850
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $9,709	10.0% Average amount $9,043

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,346 Men 36.8% Women 63.2%	2,867 Men 40.6% Women 59.4%
Graduate students	193 Men 34.2% Women 65.8%	473 Men 26.6% Women 73.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	38.9%
International students	1.5%	2.1%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity	811	853
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	South Dakota Minnesota North Dakota Iowa Wisconsin

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Psychology	Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Business Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	16:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	42.5%	47.6%
Dropout rate	55.3%	25.4%
Transferred out	N/A	22.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,943 Year 2: $40,768 Year 3: $42,268 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,857 Year 2: $40,768 Year 3: $40,091 Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,787 Year 2: $41,725 Year 3: $40,061 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $36,708 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $39,098 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $36,641 Year 2: $36,914 Year 3: $38,083 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,611 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $35,921 Community Organization and Advocacy (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,934 Year 2: $33,138 Year 3: $32,359 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,162 Year 2: $27,295 Year 3: $25,186 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,294 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $45,515 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: $49,248 Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $44,021 Year 3: $46,732 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,902 Year 2: $42,682 Year 3: $46,239 Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $43,575 Year 3: $45,796 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $38,996 Year 2: $40,728 Year 3: $45,442 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,033 Year 2: $39,523 Year 3: $39,953 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,526 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $39,845 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,862 Year 2: $38,289 Year 3: N/A English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,824 Year 3: N/A Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $38,740 Year 2: $34,526 Year 3: N/A

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