Bismarck State College is a public community college in Bismarck, North Dakota, serving roughly 2,839 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $10,270 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $5,247. Student demographics in federal data include White (80.3%) and Two or More Races (5.1%) among the largest enrollment groups.

Key Facts

  • 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $5,247
  • 2024 Average Net Price: $10,270 After Financial Aid
  • 2024 Acceptance Rate: N/A Moderate Selectivity
  • 2024 Enrolled Students: 2,839 72.4% Full-Time
  • 2024 Graduation Rate: 47.24%
  • Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs
  • First-Generation Students: 27.2%
  • Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 1.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 7.7% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
  • Full-Time Faculty: 92.2%
  • Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,662
  • Room & Board: $8,273 annual estimate

Bismarck State College: what the data shows

Common questions about Bismarck State College, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.

Where is Bismarck State College?

Bismarck State College is located in Bismarck, ND (ZIP 58506-5587).

NCES locale classification: Town.

Is Bismarck State College public or private?

Bismarck State College is a Public institution.

How much does Bismarck State College cost?

Published tuition: $5,247 in-state, $7,331 out-of-state.

Average net price after aid: $10,270.

Family income bandAvg. net price
Family income $0–$30,000$6,140
$30,001–$48,000$5,828
$48,001–$75,000$8,524
$75,001–$110,000$12,160
$110,001+$13,979

Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $20,988.

How big is Bismarck State College?

Total enrollment: 2,839 students.

Undergraduate enrollment: 5,662 students.

About 72% enroll full-time in our extract.

What is the graduation rate at Bismarck State College?

150%-time completion rate: 47.24%.

First-year retention: 76.8%.

What do graduates of Bismarck State College earn?

Median earnings: $50,401 six years after entry; $54,277 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).

How much debt do students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers: $11,533.

14.56% of students receive Pell grants.

What is Bismarck State College known for?

Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:

See ROI & Programs for more.

Is Bismarck State College a good school?

We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show completion rate 47.24%; median earnings $54,277 at 10 years; net price $10,270. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.

Tuition & Cost

Tuition Costs

$5,247
2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Bismarck State College was $5,247.

Tuition comparison with similar institutions.

Average Net Price

$10,270
2024 Value

In 2024 Bismarck State College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $10,270.

Average net price comparison with similar institutions.

Total Cost of Attendance

$41,080 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost

$10,270 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)

$20,988 4-Year In-State Tuition

$29,324 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition

$8,273 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)

$1,100 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)

$14,620 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)

$58,480 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)

4-year total cost breakdown for Bismarck State College.

Financial Aid by Income Level

14.56% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

20.25% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

Financial aid distribution by income level.

Student Loan Default Rate

0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)

The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Bismarck State College was 0.00%.

Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.

Tuition tracker

Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Bismarck State College in that year.

Reporting years in the table below: 20132023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).

Year In-state tuition & fees Out-of-state tuition & fees Average net price
2013$3,487$8,062$7,915
2014$3,520$8,200$8,668
2015$3,604$8,383$9,924
2016$3,659$8,528$9,480
2017$3,832$8,896$10,193
2018$3,992$5,588$10,165
2019$4,160$5,820$9,420
2020$4,731$6,657$9,756
2021$4,926$6,930$11,096
2022$5,143$7,227$11,625
2023$5,195$7,279$10,725

Sticker tuition and net price over time

Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.

College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).

Net price by family income

Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).

Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

Acceptance Rate

Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.

Acceptance rate compared to national average.

Test Scores

Test score data is not available for this institution.

Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.

Academic Requirements

GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.

Estimated GPA and test score ranges.

Enrollment & Student Demographics

Bismarck State College reported total enrollment of about 2,839 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 55% male and 45% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (80.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%), and Hispanic or Latino (4.1%). About 14.56% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 27.2% of students are first-generation college students.

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

72.4% Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Bismarck State College in 2024 is 2,839 students.

Undergraduate enrollment is about 5,662 students.

Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.

Retention Rate over Time

76.8%
2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.

Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 80.3%.

Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).

College Scorecard student demographics.

Graduates & Outcomes

Time to Complete

0.00% 100% Completion Time

47.24% 150% Completion Time

In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Bismarck State College completed their program within 100% "normal time".

Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.

Completions by Sex (Top Programs)

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 34% male / 66% female
  • Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: 98% male / 2% female
  • Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician: 84% male / 16% female

IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).

Completions by Race & Ethnicity

Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.

Summed across program completion records in our extract.

ROI & Programs

Financial value and program information for Bismarck State College.

Return on Investment

$11,533 Median Student Debt

$54,277 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)

21.25% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio

1221.25% Return on Investment

2.1 years Estimated Payback Period

Financial value analysis for Bismarck State College.

Top Programs by Completions

10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 50 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).

1. Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 316 completions

2. Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications: 112 completions

3. Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician: 104 completions

4. Operations Management and Supervision: 51 completions

5. Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training: 45 completions

6. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 43 completions

7. Lineworker: 41 completions

8. Instrumentation Technology/Technician: 28 completions

9. Spanish Language and Literature: 25 completions

Most popular programs at Bismarck State College.

Employment Outcomes

Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.

Earnings outcomes for Bismarck State College graduates.

Operations

Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Bismarck State College from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).

Instructional Resources

  • Full-time faculty share: 92.2%
  • Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $7,184
  • Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,671

Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.

Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.

About

Bismarck State College is a public institution located in Bismarck, ND, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies, Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering Technology/Technician. Enrollment is approximately 2,839 students. Student body composition includes White (80.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%), Hispanic or Latino (4.1%). The 150%-time completion rate is 47.24%. Approximately 14.56% of students receive Pell Grants. About 27.2% of students are first-generation college students.

Institution Type

Public

Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Larger Programs

Location

Bismarck, ND 58506-5587

Region: Plains

Insights and Analysis

Bismarck State College provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Bismarck State College located?

Bismarck State College is located in Bismarck, ND.

How much does Bismarck State College cost?

Reported tuition is $5,247 and average net price is $10,270 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $8,273 annually.

What is the student body demographics at Bismarck State College?

Bismarck State College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 5,662 students, White (80.3%), Two or More Races (5.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.

How many first-generation students attend Bismarck State College?

About 27.2% of students at Bismarck State College are first-generation college students.

What do graduates of Bismarck State College earn?

Median earnings are $50,401 six years after entry and $54,277 ten years after entry.

What is the graduation rate at Bismarck State College?

The 150%-time completion rate is 47.2% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.

How much debt do Bismarck State College students have?

Median federal loan debt among completers is $11,533.

Is Bismarck State College public or private?

Bismarck State College is a public institution located in Bismarck, ND.

Is Bismarck State College an HBCU?

No. Bismarck State College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.

Is Bismarck State College a tribal college?

No. Bismarck State College is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.

Is Bismarck State College a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?

Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Bismarck State College does not meet that proxy (reported share 4.1%).

Is Bismarck State College religiously affiliated?

No religious affiliation is reported for Bismarck State College in IPEDS institutional characteristics.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • North Dakota trade schools profile
  • Bismarck, North Dakota city profile
  • Plains regional profile
  • All state profiles
  • Regional profiles
  • National benchmarks
  • School directory
  • All schools in North Dakota
  • Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

    Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

    Methodology

    Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.

    All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.