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AccessibleReviewed for the 2026-2027 cycle

Bismarck State College acceptance rate and your odds of getting in

Bismarck State College is a public university in North Dakota that admits most qualified applicants (around 78%), which puts it in the accessible range. A rate like this means it admits most qualified applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.

Your odds at Bismarck State College
Three numbers, no account, the same published model the full calculator runs.

Use this page to see what Bismarck State College weighs, where it ranks among North Dakota schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1100, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.

Acceptance rate
78%
Accessible
Admitted SAT (75th pct)
1100
of admitted students
Type
Public
Bismarck, ND
Average net price
$10,270
per year after aid

What do students study at Bismarck State College?

Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.

Business, Management and Marketing · 53 (81.5%)Computer and Information Sciences · 12 (18.5%)

Will I get into Bismarck State College?

Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Bismarck State College, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.

What are my chances of getting into Bismarck State College?

At Bismarck State College, your real chance depends on far more than the published 78% admit rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Bismarck State College in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.

Is Bismarck State College hard to get into?

Bismarck State College is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 78% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.

What GPA do you need to get into Bismarck State College?

There is no hard GPA cutoff at Bismarck State College, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. Bismarck State College reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.

What SAT score do you need for Bismarck State College?

Bismarck State College does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at Bismarck State College.

Calculate your chances at Bismarck State College →

Your chances at Bismarck State College by GPA and SAT

Estimated chance of admission at Bismarck State College for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).

What are my chances at Bismarck State College with a 3.1 GPA and a 1040 SAT?

About 95% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1040 SAT, the middle of Bismarck State College's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1100 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.

Estimated admission chance at Bismarck State College by unweighted GPA (rows) and SAT score (columns)
GPASAT 97025th pctSAT 1040middleSAT 110075th pctNo testtest-optional
2.544%Target59%Likely70%Safety46%Likely
2.874%Safety83%Safety89%Safety80%Safety
3.191%Safety95%Safety97%Safety96%Safety
3.497%Safety98%Safety98%Safety98%Safety

Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/bismarck-state-college.

How to get into Bismarck State College

Built from Bismarck State College's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.

Getting into Bismarck State College comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.

Step 1
Match the typical admit on the transcript

CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Bismarck State College carries about a 3.14 core GPA and a 1050 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.

Step 2
Build the file around what Bismarck State College weighs

Bismarck State College rates academic GPA highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.

Step 3
Apply in the round that helps

Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Bismarck State College's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at bismarckstate.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.

See your odds and your top moves at Bismarck State College →Add it to your college list →Official site: bismarckstate.edu ↗

What Bismarck State College looks for

What Bismarck State College weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.

Bismarck State College signals that it values academic GPA above the rest of the file. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Bismarck State College's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.

Rigor of secondary school record
Considered
Academic GPA
Very important
Standardized test scores
Considered
State residency
Considered

SAT score positioning at Bismarck State College

How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.

SATWhere it sits at Bismarck State College
1600Above the admitted 75th percentile
1500Above the admitted 75th percentile
1400Above the admitted 75th percentile
1300Above the admitted 75th percentile
1200Above the admitted 75th percentile
1100In the competitive admitted range
Colleges for a 1100 SAT →Colleges for a 22 ACT →See colleges by GPA →

How much does Bismarck State College cost after financial aid?

The full sticker price at Bismarck State College (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $15,771 a year. Tuition and fees are $5,247 for ND residents and $7,331 for out-of-state students, a $2,084 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $10,270 a year, and it ranges from $6,140 for families earning under $30,000 to $13,979 for families earning over $110,000. 15% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.

Sticker price
$15,771
per year, before aid
Average net price
$10,270
after grants and scholarships
In-state tuition
$5,247
$7,331 out of state
Pell recipients
15%
of undergraduates
Family incomeAverage net price per year
$0 to $30k$6,140
$30k to $48k$5,828
$48k to $75k$8,524
$75k to $110k$12,160
Over $110k$13,979

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.

What do Bismarck State College graduates earn, and how many graduate?

Median earnings for Bismarck State College students ten years after entry are $54,277 ($50,401 at the six-year mark). 47% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $11,533; 20% of undergraduates take federal loans.

Median earnings
$54,277
10 years after entry
Graduation rate
47%
within six years
Retention
77%
return for year two
Median debt
$11,533
at graduation, borrowers

Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.

How Bismarck State College compares in North Dakota

Bismarck State College ranks #6 most selective of 8 schools in North Dakota in our database.

Among the 8 North Dakota schools we track, Bismarck State College ranks #6 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Dickinson State University (37%) and Minot State University (65%) sit nearby, which makes North Dakota a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.

Dickinson State University
37%acceptance · ND
Minot State University
65%acceptance · ND
Mayville State University
71%acceptance · ND
Mary University
75%acceptance · ND
University of North Dakota
77%acceptance · ND
North Dakota State University
95%acceptance · ND
Valley City State University
99%acceptance · ND
See all North Dakota schools →

Similar to Bismarck State College

Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.

If Bismarck State College is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Eastern Kentucky University, Indiana University, and Jacksonville State University. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.

Eastern Kentucky University
78%acceptance · KY
Indiana University
78%acceptance · IN
Jacksonville State University
78%acceptance · AL
McNeese State University
78%acceptance · LA
Mississippi State University
78%acceptance · MS
University of Colorado
78%acceptance · CO

Frequently asked questions

How much does Bismarck State College cost after financial aid?

The average net price at Bismarck State College, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $10,270 a year against a sticker price of about $15,771. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $6,140 on average.

What do Bismarck State College graduates earn?

Median earnings ten years after entering Bismarck State College are $54,277 a year among students who received federal aid, and 47% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).

What does Bismarck State College value most in applicants?

Based on its admissions profile, Bismarck State College weighs academic GPA most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.

Does Bismarck State College favor in-state applicants?

As a public university, Bismarck State College generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.

How can I improve my chances at Bismarck State College?

Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Bismarck State College specifically.

Is Bismarck State College test-optional?

Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm Bismarck State College's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1100; if you do not, more weight falls on your GPA, course rigor, and essays.

How does residency affect admission to Bismarck State College?

As a public university, Bismarck State College typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.

Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.