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Dickinson State University

DSU

Dickinson, North Dakota 58601-4896

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Data last updated: May 29, 2026

Campus Vibe

Business-focusedTight-knitCollege town

Known for business — close-knit campus

Dickinson State University is a public institution in Dickinson with particular strength in business and health sciences.

A small campus of 1.1K undergraduates with a 13:1 student-faculty ratio. The town location creates a classic college-town feel.

43% of students graduate within four years, and graduates earn a median of $50,720 a decade after enrollment. Net price after aid averages $15,270.

Established
1918
Motto
Small Community. Big Opportunity.
Mascot
Buster Blue Hawk
Type
Public university
Conference
National Association of

Plan Your Visit

60%Acceptance
SAT Avg
1,108Students
13:1Student:Faculty
43%Grad Rate
$50,720Earnings 10yr
$15,270Net Price

Admissions

Acceptance Rate60.1%

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard / IPEDS.

Cost & Financial Aid

Sticker Price

Tuition (in-state)$9,118
Tuition (out-of-state)$11,218
Room & Board$7,740
Books & Supplies$1,200
Total Cost of Attendance$20,155
Average Net Price$15,270
Median Debt at Graduation$18,442
Monthly Payment (10yr)$196

Net Price by Family Income

$0–30K$11,547
$30–48K$11,472
$48–75K$13,949
$75–110K$17,160
$110K+$17,040

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Net price reflects most recent cohort of federally-aided undergraduates.

Debt & Aid Detail

Net Price Trend

Tuition Trend

Graduate w/ Zero Debt

61.0%

Avg Tuition Increase

0.5%/yr

Median Debt at Grad

$11,960

Campus Safety

Total Incidents (2024)

6

Peer Average

13

3-Year Trend

Emergency System

Campus security, emergency notification system

Incident Breakdown (2024)

1

Burglary

0

Aggravated Assault

0

Robbery

0

Motor Vehicle Theft

1

Sex Offenses

0

Arson

2

Drug Arrests

2

Liquor Arrests

Source: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety & Security data (Clery Act, 2024 reporting year).

Programs (64)

Student Life

Student Satisfaction

Retention Rate

60%

Below Average

Student Body

Undergrads
1,108
Gender Split
57% / 43%
Women / Men
First Generation
31%
Pell Grant Recipients
22%

Race & Ethnicity

White 77%
Black 2%
Hispanic 9%
Asian 1%
Two+ 4%
Int'l 3%

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate43.4%
Freshman Retention60.4%

Median Earnings After Graduation

6 Years$48,628
10 Years$50,720

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings reflect federally-aided students 6 and 10 years after entry.

More About This School

Varsity Sports — Blue Hawks

VolleyballTrack

History & Fun Facts

  • The university considers June 24, 1918, to be its founding date; this was the first day of classes for the Dickinson Normal School.
  • The first campus building, May Hall, was built in 1924.
  • Enrollment and graduation controversies In 2011 and 2012, Dickinson State attracted negative attention for some of its academic and business practices.
  • In 2011, the university was discovered to have overstated its enrollments by practices such as counting people as students who had merely attended a conference on the campus.

Source: Wikipedia

Location & Lifestyle

Cost of Living

90Average

Estimated from ND state average

Climate (School Year)

Snowfall: 60"Sunny days: 250Rainy days: 75

Nearest Cities

Minneapolispop. 430K
476 mi(825 min)
Denverpop. 710K
506 mi(877 min)
Salt Lake Citypop. 200K
619 mi(1073 min)

Getting There

Nearest Airports

MSP Minneapolis-St Paul481 mi
DEN Denver495 mi
SLC Salt Lake City621 mi

Distance to Cities

Boston, MA1581 mi · ~45h 40m drive
New York, NY1488 mi · ~42h 59m drive
Hartford, CT1520 mi · ~43h 55m drive
Providence, RI1578 mi · ~45h 35m drive
Albany, NY1446 mi · ~41h 46m drive
Syracuse, NY1323 mi · ~38h 13m drive
Rochester, NY1251 mi · ~36h 8m drive
Buffalo, NY1198 mi · ~34h 37m drive
Philadelphia, PA1458 mi · ~42h 7m drive
Pittsburgh, PA1218 mi · ~35h 11m drive
Harrisburg, PA1368 mi · ~39h 31m drive
Newark, NJ1480 mi · ~42h 45m drive
Washington, DC1407 mi · ~40h 39m drive
Baltimore, MD1413 mi · ~40h 49m drive
Atlanta, GA1322 mi · ~38h 11m drive
Charlotte, NC1391 mi · ~40h 11m drive
Raleigh, NC1461 mi · ~42h 12m drive
Miami, FL1913 mi · ~55h 16m drive
Orlando, FL1714 mi · ~49h 31m drive
Tampa, FL1709 mi · ~49h 22m drive
Nashville, TN1107 mi · ~31h 59m drive
New Orleans, LA1354 mi · ~39h 7m drive
Richmond, VA1441 mi · ~41h 38m drive
Chicago, IL823 mi · ~23h 47m drive
Detroit, MI1018 mi · ~29h 25m drive
Minneapolis, MN476 mi · ~13h 45m drive
St. Louis, MO855 mi · ~24h 42m drive
Kansas City, MO679 mi · ~19h 37m drive
Indianapolis, IN967 mi · ~27h 56m drive
Columbus, OH1099 mi · ~31h 45m drive
Cleveland, OH1106 mi · ~31h 57m drive
Milwaukee, WI774 mi · ~22h 22m drive
Dallas, TX1025 mi · ~29h 37m drive
Houston, TX1248 mi · ~36h 3m drive
Austin, TX1179 mi · ~34h 4m drive
San Antonio, TX1228 mi · ~35h 29m drive
Los Angeles, CA1198 mi · ~34h 37m drive
San Francisco, CA1178 mi · ~34h 2m drive
San Diego, CA1237 mi · ~35h 44m drive
Seattle, WA915 mi · ~26h 26m drive
Portland, OR953 mi · ~27h 32m drive
Denver, CO506 mi · ~14h 37m drive
Phoenix, AZ1048 mi · ~30h 17m drive
Salt Lake City, UT619 mi · ~17h 53m drive
Honolulu, HI3521 mi · ~101h 43m drive
Northern (cold winters, cool summers)

Visit Planning

Deadline Calendar

Dickinson State University Application Checklist

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