by our College Data Analytics TeamMake an informed decision about your education by understanding BHSU retention and graduation rates. First year retention rates let you know how many first-time, full-time students students come back for their second year. Graduation rates tell you how many students complete their degree and how long it takes.
The freshmen retention rate applies to first-time / full-time students who come back for their second year.
With 72% students making it past their freshmen year, BHSU has freshmen retention rates above the national average.
Nationwide, the average first to second year retention rate is 70.57%.
When looking at just colleges and universities in South Dakota, the average is 75.05%.
| Retention Rate | |
|---|---|
| BHSU | 72% |
| Nationwide | 70.57% |
| South Dakota | 75.05% |
There were approximately 475 students in the class of 2023. How many of them actually completed their degree in a timely fashion?
Four years after beginning their degree, 31% of those students had graduated. By 2025, six years after starting their degree, 42% of the students had graduated and after eight years 43% of this class completed their degree.
Any student who completes their bachelor's degree within six years is considered to have graduated on time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. This makes the offical BHSU graduation rate 42%.
| Completion Within | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 345 | 31% |
| Six Years | 475 | 42% |
| Eight Years | 9 | 1% |
| Did Not Complete | 634 | 57% |
The non-completers rate is anyone who is not still enrolled at the institution after eight years. Both transfer students and drop-outs could be included in this group.
Approximately 634 students or 57% of the cohort did not complete their degree within eight years.
What happened to the 634 students who did not complete their degree?
4 are still enrolled.
268 transferred to another institution.
BHSU lost contact with the remaining 354 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 0.6% |
| Transferred | 268 | 42.3% |
| Dropped Out | 354 | 55.8% |
| Race/Ethnicity | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaskan Native | 27% |
| Asian | 60% |
| Hispanic | 34% |
| International | 100% |
| Multi-Ethnic | 17% |
| White | 40% |
Traditional first-time, full-time students under 25 tend to graduate in four years far more often than other students. Some schools serve mostly traditional students while others serve more 'non-traditional' students — part-timers or those returning after time away — who commonly take longer to finish.
Traditional Students:
First-time, full-time students under the age of 25.
Non-Traditional Students:
Any student that is not first-time, full-time, and under the age of 25.
The majority of students at BHSU are considered 'traditional students' who are first-time attending full-time.
Comparing the graduation rates of the specific cohorts below can be more revealing than the overall graduation rates.
First-time / full-time students at Black Hills State University represent 51.52% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BHSU graduation rate was 43%, and by the eight year mark, 44% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 37.92% after four years, 46.43% after six years, and 47.82% after eight years.
| Completions | BHSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 26% | 37.92% |
| Six Years | 43% | 46.43% |
| Eight Years | 44% | 47.82% |
324 first-time / full-time students or 56% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
4 are still enrolled.
174 transferred to another institution.
BHSU lost contact with the remaining 146 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 4 | 1.23% |
| Transferred | 174 | 53.70% |
| Dropped Out | 146 | 45.06% |
First-time / part-time students at Black Hills State University represent 5.81% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BHSU graduation rate was 8%, and by the eight year mark, 11% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 14.37% after four years, 21.59% after six years, and 23.72% after eight years.
| Completions | BHSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 3% | 14.37% |
| Six Years | 8% | 21.59% |
| Eight Years | 11% | 23.72% |
58 first-time / part-time students or 89% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
17 transferred to another institution.
BHSU lost contact with the remaining 38 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 5.17% |
| Transferred | 17 | 29.31% |
| Dropped Out | 38 | 65.52% |
Returning / full-time students at Black Hills State University represent 30.41% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BHSU graduation rate was 54%, and by the eight year mark, 54% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 53.83% after six years, and 55.07% after eight years.
| Completions | BHSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 0% | 49.57% |
| Six Years | 54% | 53.83% |
| Eight Years | 54% | 55.07% |
158 non first-time / part-time students or 46% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
2 are still enrolled.
47 transferred to another institution.
BHSU lost contact with the remaining 109 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 2 | 1.27% |
| Transferred | 47 | 29.75% |
| Dropped Out | 109 | 68.99% |
Returning / part-time students at Black Hills State University represent 12.25% of the students in the class of 2023.
After six years, the BHSU graduation rate was 31%, and by the eight year mark, 31% of the cohort had completed their degree.
Nationwide, the average graduation rate for this group is 30.46% after four years, 36.03% after six years, and 37.80% after eight years.
| Completions | BHSU | Nationwide |
|---|---|---|
| Four Years | 27% | 30.46% |
| Six Years | 31% | 36.03% |
| Eight Years | 31% | 37.80% |
94 non first-time / part-time students or 69% did not complete their degree within eight years.
Of those who did not finish:
3 are still enrolled.
30 transferred to another institution.
BHSU lost contact with the remaining 61 who we assumed dropped out.
| Non-Completions | Undergraduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Still Enrolled | 3 | 3.19% |
| Transferred | 30 | 31.91% |
| Dropped Out | 61 | 64.89% |
