Black Hills State University
Spearfish, South Dakota · Public · 1,928 undergraduates · bhsu.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
96%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
965 to 1135
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$26,510Est.Estimate
$29,930 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Black Hills State University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
96% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$29,930
a year in 2027-28, from a $29,930 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1050
Send your score
About 43% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 920, and yours is above it.
Source: College Navigator (federal data on fall 2024 freshmen)
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- Admission requires one of: cumulative GPA 2.6, ACT 18 / SAT 970, or top 60% class rank
Source: Apply to Black Hills State University · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
96%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 965 to 1135
Reading and Writing 465 to 565
Math 500 to 570
ACT composite 18 to 24
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$26,510
a year, in state
$29,930
a year, out of state (tuition $12,920)
- Tuition (in state)$9,500
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$16,385
- $30,001 to $48,000$15,530
- $48,001 to $75,000$17,710
- $75,001 to $110,000$21,151
- Over $110,000$23,029
Financial aidEstimate
76%
of freshmen receive grants
$6,070
average grant to freshmen
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
South Dakota programs for residents
South Dakota Opportunity Scholarship
$1,500 to $3,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.00+ GPA, 1180+ SAT or 24+ ACT, Option 1 (ACT 24 + curriculum/GPA); Advanced Honors Endorsement with 3.0 unweighted GPA, OR required HS courses (SDCL 13-55-31.1) with no final grade below C and cumulative 3.0 GPA
- 1310+ SAT or 28+ ACT, Option 2 (ACT 28, no curriculum/GPA requirement); None beyond test (no curriculum or GPA requirement per BOR)
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
39 of 39
Earn credit with a score of 3
38 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $950Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 121 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | Art 123 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH 211 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIOL 151/L |
| Biology | 5 | 8 | BIOL 151/L & 153/L |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 123 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 123 & 125 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM 112/L |
| Chemistry | 5 | 8 | CHEM 112/L & 114/L |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | CHIN 100TG |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 141 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 4 | CSC 155/L USD |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CSC 100T |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 111 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 210 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | BIOL 100T |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 122 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FREN 202 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FREN 202, FREN 392 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | GER 202 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | GER 202, GER 392 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 200 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | MFL 100TG |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | MFL 100TG |
| Latin | 3 | 8 | LATI 101 & 102 |
| Latin | 4 | 11 | LATI 101, 102 & 201 |
| Latin | 5 | 14 | LATI 101, 102, 201 & 202 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 202 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 201 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 4 | MUS 110 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 111/L |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 113/L |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 209 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 207 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 5 | MATH 115 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 101 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | IDL 100T |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | IDL 100T |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 202 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 202 & 392 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 202 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 202 & 392 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 281 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 100 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 151 |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST 151, 152 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 112 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
42%
Come back for a second year
72%
Typical earnings
$49,283
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Black Hills State University$63,435
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 10 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Black Hills State University. The Black Hills State University logo is a trademark of the college.