How this school serves students from different economic backgrounds, including Pell students, first-generation pathways, and long-term mobility outcomes.
Black Hills State University admits approximately 96.3% of applicants. The middle range of SAT scores for admitted students falls between 965 and 1,135, while ACT scores typically range from 18 to 24. Among enrolled undergraduates, 20.0% receive Pell Grants and 28.4% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment represents 30.4% of the student body. The institution's freshman retention rate stands at 71.7%, and the six-year graduation rate is 42.6%, with 30.2% of Pell-eligible students completing within that timeframe. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1405 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a substantial share of students from Pell-eligible and first-generation backgrounds, reflecting its role as a regional public university serving South Dakota's student population. The access ranking captures both the breadth of admission and the demographic composition of the enrolled class. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $38,600 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Black Hills State University in the 26.5 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1295 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects the combination of broad access and meaningful earnings outcomes for low-income students. As a regional institution with a dominant education program portfolio, Black Hills State University serves students who often remain in or return to rural and small-town communities across the region, where teaching and education-related careers anchor local labor markets and provide stable pathways to economic security.
Black Hills State University admits approximately 96.3% of applicants. The middle range of SAT scores for admitted students falls between 965 and 1,135, while ACT scores typically range from 18 to 24. Among enrolled undergraduates, 20.0% receive Pell Grants and 28.4% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment represents 30.4% of the student body. The institution's freshman retention rate stands at 71.7%, and the six-year graduation rate is 42.6%, with 30.2% of Pell-eligible students completing within that timeframe. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1405 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a substantial share of students from Pell-eligible and first-generation backgrounds, reflecting its role as a regional public university serving South Dakota's student population. The access ranking captures both the breadth of admission and the demographic composition of the enrolled class. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $38,600 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Black Hills State University in the 26.5 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1295 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects the combination of broad access and meaningful earnings outcomes for low-income students. As a regional institution with a dominant education program portfolio, Black Hills State University serves students who often remain in or return to rural and small-town communities across the region, where teaching and education-related careers anchor local labor markets and provide stable pathways to economic security.
Black Hills State University admits approximately 96.3% of applicants. The middle range of SAT scores for admitted students falls between 965 and 1,135, while ACT scores typically range from 18 to 24. Among enrolled undergraduates, 20.0% receive Pell Grants and 28.4% are first-generation college students. Transfer enrollment represents 30.4% of the student body. The institution's freshman retention rate stands at 71.7%, and the six-year graduation rate is 42.6%, with 30.2% of Pell-eligible students completing within that timeframe. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1405 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a substantial share of students from Pell-eligible and first-generation backgrounds, reflecting its role as a regional public university serving South Dakota's student population. The access ranking captures both the breadth of admission and the demographic composition of the enrolled class. For graduates from low-income backgrounds, median earnings reach $38,600 on a historical ten-year Scorecard measure, placing Black Hills State University in the 26.5 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Black Hills State University #1295 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. The mobility ranking reflects the combination of broad access and meaningful earnings outcomes for low-income students. As a regional institution with a dominant education program portfolio, Black Hills State University serves students who often remain in or return to rural and small-town communities across the region, where teaching and education-related careers anchor local labor markets and provide stable pathways to economic security.
