Bismarck State College
Bismarck, North Dakota · Also known as BSC · Website
$54,277
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$54,277
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Bismarck State College is a public 4-year college in Bismarck, North Dakota with 2,839 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $10,270 a year (tuition and fees $5,247 in-state, $7,331 out-of-state). 47% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $54,277 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $11,533 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$10,270
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$5,247
Out-of-state $7,331
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
47%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$11,533
About $122 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$54,277
Rank 1,158 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $10,270
- Tuition in-state
- $5,247
- Tuition out-of-state
- $7,331
- Cost of attendance
- $15,771
- Students with a need-based grant
- 15%
- Students with federal loans
- 20%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $6,140
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $5,828
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $8,524
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $12,160
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $13,979
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $3,604 in 2015-16 to $5,247 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 2,839
- Part-time students
- 28%
- Women
- 45%
- Students per teacher
- 13
- Completion rate
- 47%
- Retention rate
- 77%
- Highest degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Programs
- 63
- Endowment
- $35.6M
- Other
- Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 1,158 of 5,094 US colleges and 5 of 23 in North Dakota (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | ND median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $10,270 | $12,738 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $5,247 | $7,054 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 76% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 47% | 49% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 77% | 74% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $11,533 | $18,442 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $50,401 | $41,436 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $54,277 | $44,017 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 74% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 79% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
63 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's | Associate's | 293 | $10,887 | $33,358 | $51,767 | $44,125 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 65 | $11,892 | $89,460 | $115,316 | $67,792 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 43 | $12,000 | $82,310 | $121,039 | $73,593 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 42 | $20,479 | $66,335 | $66,683 | $80,813 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersCertificate | Certificate | 41 | $5,500 | $48,853 | $68,875 | $53,078 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsOnlineBachelor's | Bachelor's | 40 | $15,250 | $100,668 | $122,948 | $68,257 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 38 | $10,500 | $61,629 | $65,425 | $56,073 |
| Agricultural Business and ManagementAssociate's | Associate's | 34 | $12,000 | $38,623 | $58,392 | $47,825 |
| Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsCertificate | Certificate | 32 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 27 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $57,584 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 26 | $5,775 | $44,309 | $62,014 | $51,586 |
| Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's | Associate's | 24 | $16,005 | Withheld | Withheld | $54,971 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsCertificate | Certificate | 23 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 22 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $65,389 |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementCertificate | Certificate | 21 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementBachelor's | Bachelor's | 21 | - | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/TechniciansCertificate | Certificate | 20 | Withheld | Withheld | $94,634 | $49,492 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 20 | $12,000 | $77,701 | $118,853 | $73,046 |
| Design and Applied ArtsAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | $37,776 | $38,127 |
| Precision Metal WorkingCertificate | Certificate | 17 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,702 |
| CarpentersCertificate | Certificate | 16 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $41,835 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | $7,153 | $57,065 | $101,828 | $70,808 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 11 | Withheld | $36,062 | $44,242 | $49,927 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Certificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $48,148 |
| Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,451 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: North Dakota on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in North Dakota
- Homes: Homes for sale in North Dakota
Questions and answers
How much does Bismarck State College cost?
$10,270 a year is the average net price at Bismarck State College after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $5,247 for in-state students and $7,331 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $15,771. Families earning under $30,000 pay $6,140 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Bismarck State College?
Bismarck State College has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do Bismarck State College graduates earn?
$54,277 a year is the median pay of former Bismarck State College students who work, 10 years after they started ($50,401 after 6 years). That ranks 1,158 of 5,094 US colleges and 5 of 23 in North Dakota. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's) at $100,668.
How much student debt do Bismarck State College graduates have?
$11,533 is the median federal student loan debt of Bismarck State College graduates, about $122 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 20% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Bismarck State College?
47% of first-time, full-time students at Bismarck State College finish within 6 years. 77% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at Bismarck State College?
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (293 associate's graduates), Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (65 associate's graduates), Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (43 associate's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 63 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.