Dickinson State University
Dickinson, North Dakota · Also known as DSU · Website
$50,720
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$50,720
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Dickinson State University is a public 4-year college in Dickinson, North Dakota with 1,090 undergraduates and 71 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $14,092 a year (tuition and fees $9,118). It admits 37% of applicants and 51% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $50,720 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $18,442 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$14,092
US median $17,138
Tuition and fees
$9,118
US median $11,837
Admission rate
37%
US median 78%
Completion rate
51%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$18,442
About $196 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$50,720
Rank 1,425 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
- $14,092
- Tuition and fees
- $9,118
- Cost of attendance
- $20,567
- Students with a need-based grant
- 21%
- Students with federal loans
- 34%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $10,479
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $8,094
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $12,985
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $15,484
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $16,922
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 $6,172 in 2015-16 to $9,118 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
- 37%
- SAT reading, middle
- 488
- SAT math, middle
- 506
- ACT, middle
- 19
- Undergraduates
- 1,090
- Graduate students
- 71
- Part-time students
- 17%
- Women
- 55%
- Students per teacher
- 16
- Completion rate
- 51%
- Retention rate
- 67%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 68
- Endowment
- $22.0M
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 1,425 of 5,094 US colleges and 8 of 23 in North Dakota (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | ND median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $14,092 | $12,738 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $9,118 | $7,054 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 37% | 76% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 51% | 49% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 67% | 74% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $18,442 | $18,442 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $48,628 | $41,436 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $50,720 | $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. 76% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 77% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
68 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 39 | $19,000 | $50,830 | $67,169 | $68,257 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's | Bachelor's | 20 | $25,250 | $68,151 | $81,904 | $88,910 |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 20 | $24,676 | $50,122 | $64,488 | $68,069 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,125 |
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | $16,311 | Withheld | $69,015 | $62,755 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsOnlineMaster's | Master's | 17 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 16 | $20,856 | $51,006 | $66,147 | $76,194 |
| Agriculture, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | Withheld | $42,583 | $52,529 | $53,676 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 15 | $15,000 | $49,811 | Withheld | $47,382 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's | Bachelor's | 14 | Withheld | $44,841 | Withheld | $51,389 |
| Business/Commerce, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 14 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $68,407 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's | Bachelor's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $54,562 |
| Psychology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $50,706 |
| Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | $76,040 | $83,343 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherBachelor's | Bachelor's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | $42,639 | $55,693 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Accounting and Related ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Biology, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's | Bachelor's | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $92,374 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 5 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's | Bachelor's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $56,359 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsOnlineMaster's | Master's | 4 | - | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business OperationsOnlineMaster's | Master's | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Human Resources Management and ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 4 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $61,907 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Dickinson and 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 Dickinson State University cost?
$14,092 a year is the average net price at Dickinson State University after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $9,118, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $20,567. Families earning under $30,000 pay $10,479 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Dickinson State University?
37% of applicants are admitted to Dickinson State University. The median admission rate of colleges in North Dakota is 76%.
How much do Dickinson State University graduates earn?
$50,720 a year is the median pay of former Dickinson State University students who work, 10 years after they started ($48,628 after 6 years). That ranks 1,425 of 5,094 US colleges and 8 of 23 in North Dakota. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's) at $68,151.
How much student debt do Dickinson State University graduates have?
$18,442 is the median federal student loan debt of Dickinson State University graduates, about $196 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 34% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Dickinson State University?
51% of first-time, full-time students at Dickinson State University finish within 6 years. 67% 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 Dickinson State University?
Business Administration, Management and Operations (39 bachelor's graduates), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (20 bachelor's graduates), Human Resources Management and Services (20 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 68 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.