Fort Hays State University (FHSU) vs Black Hills State University (BHSU)

Fort Hays State University and Black Hills State University, both public institutions with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. Fort Hays, located in Hays, Kansas, boasts a higher acceptance rate (86%) compared to Black Hills' 78% in Spearfish, South Dakota. While Fort Hays excels in fields like Business, Education, and Health Professions, Black Hills shines in areas such as Business, Education, and Natural Resources. Fort Hays' student body is more diverse, with 30% of students identifying as minorities, while Black Hills' student body is predominantly White (87%). Fort Hays also boasts a slightly higher graduation rate (58%) than Black Hills (56%). Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Black Hills State University logo

Black Hills State University

Fort Hays State University logo

Fort Hays State University

Overview

Location Spearfish, South Dakota Hays, Kansas
Campus setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 61.0% 73.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 97.3% 90.3%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $20

Graduate: $35
Undergraduate: $30

Graduate: $40
SAT range 970 - 1150 N/A
ACT range 18 - 23 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 6.0%
Students submitting ACT score 79.0%
Total number of applicants 1,382 1,997
Total number of admissions given out 1,344 1,804
Admitted students who chose to enroll 452 955
Yield rate 33.6% 52.9%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $22,100

Out of state: $25,200
In state: $19,364

Out of state: $29,804
Average net price $15,895 $13,788
Tuition
In state: $7,700

Out of state: $10,800
In state: $4,140

Out of state: $14,580
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $3,680

Meal plan: $3,622
Room/dormitory: $4,047

Meal plan: $4,326
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

89.0%
Average amount $4,736
91.0%
Average amount $5,027
Students receiving federal student loan 58.0%
Average amount $4,966
50.0%
Average amount $5,059
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $9,709
3.0%
Average amount $9,055

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,346
Men 36.8% Women 63.2%
11,402
Men 39.1% Women 60.9%
Graduate students 193
Men 34.2% Women 65.8%
2,700
Men 29.7% Women 70.3%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 1.5% 1.7%
Campus local/setting Town: Distant Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 811 1,731
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Psychology
  • Business
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 17:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 42.5% 50.5%
Dropout rate 55.3% 31.2%
Transferred out N/A 15.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,943
  • Year 2: $40,768
  • Year 3: $42,268
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,857
  • Year 2: $40,768
  • Year 3: $40,091
Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,787
  • Year 2: $41,725
  • Year 3: $40,061
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,708
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $39,098
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,641
  • Year 2: $36,914
  • Year 3: $38,083
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,611
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $35,921
Community Organization and Advocacy (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,934
  • Year 2: $33,138
  • Year 3: $32,359
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $28,162
  • Year 2: $27,295
  • Year 3: $25,186
Curriculum and Instruction (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $46,294
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,515
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,036
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $99,232
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,228
  • Year 2: $55,286
  • Year 3: $67,227
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,873
  • Year 2: $57,461
  • Year 3: $61,895
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,104
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $60,659
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $48,849
  • Year 3: $59,909
Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,167
  • Year 2: $51,392
  • Year 3: $57,191
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,360
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $53,880
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $51,829
  • Year 3: $52,488
Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,081
  • Year 2: $47,846
  • Year 3: $49,888
Educational/Instructional Media Design (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,407
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $49,592

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