FLC-Durango vs Black Hills State University (BHSU)

Fort Lewis College and Black Hills State University, both located in picturesque regions of the United States, offer distinct educational experiences. Fort Lewis College, nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Durango, Colorado, boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on liberal arts and environmental studies. In contrast, Black Hills State University, situated in the vibrant city of Spearfish, South Dakota, emphasizes career-oriented programs and boasts a rich history dating back to 1883. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they differ in acceptance rates, popular majors, student demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Black Hills State University	Fort Lewis College
Overview
Location	Spearfish, South Dakota	Durango, Colorado
Campus setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
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%	54.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	97.3%	92.8%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $20 Graduate: $35	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $50
SAT range	970 - 1150	970 - 1200
ACT range	18 - 23	16 - 23
Students submitting SAT score	6.0%	24.0%
Students submitting ACT score	79.0%	24.0%
Total number of applicants	1,382	3,795
Total number of admissions given out	1,344	3,520
Admitted students who chose to enroll	452	960
Yield rate	33.6%	27.3%
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: $24,486 Out of state: $35,142
Average net price	$15,895	$15,807
Tuition	In state: $7,700 Out of state: $10,800	In state: $7,056 Out of state: $17,712
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $3,680 Meal plan: $3,622	Room/dormitory: $4,796 Meal plan: $5,588
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	89.0% Average amount $4,736	93.0% Average amount $13,606
Students receiving federal student loan	58.0% Average amount $4,966	33.0% Average amount $4,956
Students taking out private loans	11.0% Average amount $9,709	2.0% Average amount $12,308

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,346 Men 36.8% Women 63.2%	3,449 Men 45.6% Women 54.4%
Graduate students	193 Men 34.2% Women 65.8%	118 Men 23.7% Women 76.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	64.1%
International students	1.5%	0.8%
Campus local/setting	Town: Distant	Town: Distant
Dormitory capacity	811	1,524
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Colorado New Mexico Arizona Alaska Oklahoma

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Education Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Psychology	Business Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Social Sciences Biological and Biomedical Sciences Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	14:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	42.5%	44.1%
Dropout rate	55.3%	19.3%
Transferred out	N/A	34.6%
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	Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,623 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $46,551 Business/Commerce, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $30,333 Year 2: $35,934 Year 3: $44,548 Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,786 Year 2: $35,060 Year 3: $42,602 Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,208 Year 2: $32,119 Year 3: $37,787 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $41,074 Year 2: $33,565 Year 3: $35,906 Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,932 Year 2: $24,532 Year 3: $34,632 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,053 Year 2: $26,121 Year 3: $32,467 Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,928 Year 2: $23,745 Year 3: $31,481 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $24,260 Year 2: $25,856 Year 3: $31,335 Anthropology (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $20,895 Year 2: $25,194 Year 3: $30,447

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