Bemidji State University

Bemidji State University's program mix is anchored in Business and applied professional fields, reflecting the institution's regional public-university identity. Business Administration is the largest program with 168 graduates, followed by Nursing, Psychology, General, Teacher Education, and Criminal Justice.

The institution serves 950 students across 27 programs, with 0 meeting Azimuth's ranking threshold. Among the ranked programs, the strongest earnings outcomes cluster in applied business and professional fields.

Nursing leads with median earnings of $84,436 four years after enrollment across 127 graduates, followed by Accounting with $72,153 and 168 graduates. Business Administration graduates earn $64,086, while Criminal Justice and Kinesiology round out the higher-earning cohort with $58,519 and $57,357 respectively.

These outcomes reflect Bemidji State University's focus on fields with direct workforce entry and stable regional labor-market demand. The program portfolio emphasizes practical preparation for employment in Minnesota's regional economy.

Most of the institution's largest and highest-earning programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce directly — particularly in Business, accounting, nursing, and applied technology fields — rather than grad-school-dependent tracks. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how Bemidji State University's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market trends.

Bemidji State University's published cost of attendance is $22,744. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $10,073, middle-income families pay around $12,201, and higher-income families pay approximately $19,940.

Azimuth ranks Bemidji State University #278 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Bemidji State structures aid through federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional programs. The difference between sticker price and net price reflects the institution's commitment to need-based aid, though families should understand that [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) — the net price figures above represent what families typically pay after aid, not the published cost of attendance.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $19,750, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $12,173; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures. See the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $60,307, median federal debt of $19,750 projects to a monthly payment of about $223 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Bemidji State University earn median 4-year earnings of $60,307, placing Bemidji State University in the 45.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,756 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Bemidji State University in the 30.0 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Bemidji State University #918 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Bemidji State University's concentration in applied and professional fields.

Business Administration is the largest program with 168 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $64,086, performing at 0.9x the national benchmark for the field. The Nursing program graduates 127 students earning $84,436, while Psychology, General with 98 graduates reaches $49,116.

Teacher Education and Criminal Justice round out the top five, each contributing to a program portfolio anchored in Business and related professional disciplines that align with regional labor-market demand.