Chief Dull Knife College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Lame Deer, Montana. It enrolls 183 students (a very small, intimate 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.
AccreditorNorthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
Academic CalendarSemester
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 (2-Year), 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.
Fair
45/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes17
Value15
Affordability40
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
As a two-year college, Chief Dull Knife College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.
Acceptance Rate
Open
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 $14,010 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.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$1,960
Room & Board (off-campus)
$8,774
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$17,734
What this means:
33% of students receive Pell grants. Most cost is borne by families above Pell thresholds. Verify your individual aid offer before deciding.
Graduation Rate & Retention
17% of students who start here finish within six years, and 62% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
17%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
62%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $20,073 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$20,073
Earning > $25K
37%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$1.4 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 183 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 47% are the first in their family to go to college, and 56% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.
Total Enrolled
183
Part-Time
56%
First-Generation
47%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Other 98.4%180
White 1.6%3
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Chief Dull Knife College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Rural: RemoteLame Deer, Montana
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
54%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Chief Dull Knife College offers
a focused set of programs:
1 distinct programs across
1 major.
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.
There are 14 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
14:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$21,431
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.9M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$58,901
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
12 instructional faculty across 1 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
Instructors
12
100%
$58,901
Pros & Cons of Chief Dull Knife College
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Chief Dull Knife College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for:
Based on the data, Chief Dull Knife College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; working adults or students needing part-time study options; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chief Dull Knife College
The questions families ask most about Chief Dull Knife College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Chief Dull Knife College hard to get into?
Not especially. Chief Dull Knife College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Chief Dull Knife College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Chief Dull Knife College cost?
Budget around $14,010 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 Chief Dull Knife College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $20,073 a year against a net price of $14,010, about 1.4 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 Chief Dull Knife College known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts. 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 Chief Dull Knife College graduates earn?
About $20,073 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 Chief Dull Knife College accredited?
Yes. Chief Dull Knife College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
How many students attend Chief Dull Knife College?
183 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Chief Dull Knife College?
17% 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 Chief Dull Knife College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Chief Dull Knife College located?
Chief Dull Knife College is located in Lame Deer, Montana.
What programs does Chief Dull Knife College offer?
1 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts. 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 Chief Dull Knife College?
14 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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