Public Bachelor's Strong 77/100

Bismarck State College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Bismarck, North Dakota

About Bismarck State College

Thinking about Bismarck State College, a college in North Dakota where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Bismarck State College is a public institution offering bachelor's degrees based in Bismarck, North Dakota. It enrolls 2,839 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
—
Graduation
41.9%
Net Price
$10,270
Median Earnings (10yr)
$54,277
Enrollment
2,839
Student : Faculty
13:1

Accreditor Higher Learning Commission
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Open / Online), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
77/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Open / Online
Outcomes 70
Value 79
Affordability 37
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Bismarck State College does not report an acceptance rate. Schools that do not publish one are usually open-admission, but confirm with the admissions office before you assume it.

Acceptance Rate
—
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $10,270 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$10,270
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
15%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
20%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$5,247
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$7,331
Room & Board (on-campus)
$8,273
Room & Board (off-campus)
$9,000
Books & Supplies
$1,100
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,400
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,771

Application fee: $35 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $6,140
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $5,828
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $8,524
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $12,160
  • Over $110,000
    $13,979

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$2,476
10% percentile
$3,850
25% percentile
$11,533
Median percentile
$12,000
75% percentile
$18,911
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $8,068 ↓ $3,465
No Pell $5,500 ↓ $6,033
Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $6,033
Independent students $10,500 ↓ $1,033
Female students $6,750 ↓ $4,783
Male students $6,630 ↓ $4,903
Pell recipients: 18.8% (2,167 students)No Pell: 12.8% (1,477 students)Dependent students: 12.8% (1,477 students)Independent students: 24.4% (2,820 students)Female students: 15.7% (1,813 students)Male students: 15.4% (1,780 students)Overall Median$11,533
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($11,533), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

42% of students who start here finish within six years, and 74% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
42%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
74%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $54,277 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$54,277
Earning > $25K
80%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$50,000$51,000$52,000$54,000$55,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$38,700

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$65,900

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$44,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$54,600

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$61,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $27,200, about 41% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑ 8.0 pts across 6 years
81%1yr85.1%3yr90.8%5yr89%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 89% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 2,839 students, a mid-sized community.

Total Enrolled
2,839
Part-Time
28%
First-Generation
27%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 80.4% 2,281
Other 7.3% 208
Hispanic 4.1% 116
Black 3.8% 107
Asian 1.4% 41
International 1.4% 40
White: 80.4% (2,281 students)Other: 7.3% (208 students)Hispanic: 4.1% (116 students)Black: 3.8% (107 students)Asian: 1.4% (41 students)International: 1.4% (40 students)Total2,839

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Bismarck State College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Bismarck, North Dakota
Housing
Partly residential 438 beds available
Adult Learners
26% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Engineering Tech graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Bismarck State College offers an extensive catalog of programs: 46 distinct programs across 16 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

Faculty & Resources

There are 13 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,161
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$26M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$63,442
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

92 instructional faculty across 3 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 6 7% $86,829
Associate Professors 52 57% $68,648
Assistant Professors 34 37% $52,997

Pros & Cons of Bismarck State College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Bismarck State College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
  • Low typical debt at graduation
CONS
  • Below-average completion rate
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • No graduate programs offered at this institution

Frequently Asked Questions about Bismarck State College

The questions families ask most about Bismarck State College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

How much does Bismarck State College cost?
Budget around $10,270 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bismarck State College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $54,277 a year against a net price of $10,270, about 5.3 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Bismarck State College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Industrial Production Tech. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Bismarck State College graduates earn?
About $54,277 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Bismarck State College accredited?
Yes. Bismarck State College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
How many students attend Bismarck State College?
2,839 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Bismarck State College?
42% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Bismarck State College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Bismarck State College located?
Bismarck State College is located in Bismarck, North Dakota.
What programs does Bismarck State College offer?
46 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Industrial Production Tech. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Bismarck State College?
13 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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