Graduates of Dickinson State University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,571, placing Dickinson State University in the 44.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,909 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Dickinson State University in the 16.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson State University #964 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect earnings that exceed the $35,041 baseline for working adults in ND with only a high school credential, demonstrating lifetime returns from a Dickinson State degree. The earnings pattern centers on Business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 35 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $67,169, at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. Teacher Education and Subject-Specific Teacher Education round out the top enrollment drivers. Among higher-earning programs, Agriculture, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,529 — 1.0x the national benchmark — while Accounting delivers median 4-year earnings of $66,147 at 0.9x benchmark. This concentration in Business and related professional fields aligns with regional employer demand and contributes to the institution's solid long-term financial outcomes for graduates.
Graduates of Dickinson State University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,571, placing Dickinson State University in the 44.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,909 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Dickinson State University in the 16.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson State University #964 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect earnings that exceed the $35,041 baseline for working adults in ND with only a high school credential, demonstrating lifetime returns from a Dickinson State degree. The earnings pattern centers on Business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 35 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $67,169, at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. Teacher Education and Subject-Specific Teacher Education round out the top enrollment drivers. Among higher-earning programs, Agriculture, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,529 — 1.0x the national benchmark — while Accounting delivers median 4-year earnings of $66,147 at 0.9x benchmark. This concentration in Business and related professional fields aligns with regional employer demand and contributes to the institution's solid long-term financial outcomes for graduates.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Graduates of Dickinson State University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,571, placing Dickinson State University in the 44.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,909 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Dickinson State University in the 16.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson State University #964 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect earnings that exceed the $35,041 baseline for working adults in ND with only a high school credential, demonstrating lifetime returns from a Dickinson State degree. The earnings pattern centers on Business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 35 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $67,169, at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. Teacher Education and Subject-Specific Teacher Education round out the top enrollment drivers. Among higher-earning programs, Agriculture, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,529 — 1.0x the national benchmark — while Accounting delivers median 4-year earnings of $66,147 at 0.9x benchmark. This concentration in Business and related professional fields aligns with regional employer demand and contributes to the institution's solid long-term financial outcomes for graduates.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
Dickinson 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 35 graduates, followed by Teacher Education, Subject-Specific Teacher Education, Agriculture, General, and Accounting. Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 200 students annually, the portfolio reflects Business as the dominant concentration, with meaningful enrollment in education, health sciences, and applied trades. The strongest earnings outcomes cluster in business and technical fields. Nursing leads with median earnings of $81,904 four years after enrollment across 13 graduates, followed by Finance with $76,040 and 35 graduates. Business Administration graduates earn $67,169, while Accounting and Agriculture, General round out the highest-earning programs with $66,147 and $52,529 respectively. These programs reflect direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter regional and national labor markets immediately after completion. Dickinson State University's program signature aligns with regional workforce demand in the Northern Plains. The concentration in Business (representing 37% of graduates), combined with Education (18%) and Social Sciences (2%), positions graduates for stable employment in sectors with consistent hiring. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how these program families align with regional and national labor-market trends.
Lower quartile, 10-year field
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of Dickinson State University earn median 4-year earnings of $59,571, placing Dickinson State University in the 44.8 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $11,909 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Dickinson State University in the 16.8 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Dickinson State University #964 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. These outcomes reflect earnings that exceed the $35,041 baseline for working adults in ND with only a high school credential, demonstrating lifetime returns from a Dickinson State degree. The earnings pattern centers on Business and applied professional fields. Business Administration is the largest program with 35 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $67,169, at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. Teacher Education and Subject-Specific Teacher Education round out the top enrollment drivers. Among higher-earning programs, Agriculture, General graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $52,529 — 1.0x the national benchmark — while Accounting delivers median 4-year earnings of $66,147 at 0.9x benchmark. This concentration in Business and related professional fields aligns with regional employer demand and contributes to the institution's solid long-term financial outcomes for graduates.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
