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Bismarck State College

Bismarck, ND 2,839 Undergrads 52.5% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$15,771
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$10,270
After Aid
Median Earnings
$65,276
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$10,270
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$65,276
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$54,277
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate52.5%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.1
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients21.6%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time72.4%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS79.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$577k
+$111k
+$93k
Median Cost$10k/yr
+$540k
+$74k
+$56k
Full Cost$16k/yr
+$521k
+$54k
+$36k

ROI Efficiency Metrics
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
33
∞
Median Cost$10k/yr
40
152%
Full Cost$16k/yr
45
64%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return224%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return24%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.

Certificates

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,584
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $32,681
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Carpenters
CertCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,835
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,400
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$5,500
Earnings (4yr)
$68,875
Natl Median: $53,078
Lifetime Value Added
+$275k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1503
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$94,634
Natl Median: $49,492
Lifetime Value Added
+$526k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1504
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,202
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,447
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $45,268
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,199
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $36,390
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,294
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$65,425
Natl Median: $56,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$242k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,702
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
CertCIP: 4706
Median Debt
$5,775
Earnings (4yr)
$62,014
Natl Median: $51,586
Lifetime Value Added
+$207k

Associate's Degrees

Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,392
Natl Median: $47,825
Lifetime Value Added
+$110k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$49,937
Natl Median: $65,389
Lifetime Value Added
+$48k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $35,660
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$31,670
Natl Median: $37,587
Lifetime Value Added
-$142k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$44,242
Natl Median: $49,927
Lifetime Value Added
-$28k
Carpenters
AssocCIP: 4602
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $57,472
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $41,737
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$16,005
Earnings (2yr)
$46,087
Natl Median: $54,971
Lifetime Value Added
+$9k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$37,776
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$93k
Median Debt
$7,153
Earnings (4yr)
$101,828
Natl Median: $70,808
Lifetime Value Added
+$503k
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1503
Median Debt
$11,892
Earnings (4yr)
$115,316
Natl Median: $67,792
Lifetime Value Added
+$623k
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1504
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$118,853
Natl Median: $73,046
Lifetime Value Added
+$654k
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General
AssocCIP: 1500
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $62,343
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 1511
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $66,570
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,148
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,236
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4703
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,017
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$26,625
Natl Median: $39,422
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$121,039
Natl Median: $73,593
Lifetime Value Added
+$674k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$10,887
Earnings (4yr)
$51,767
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
+$46k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$106,364
Natl Median: $77,878
Lifetime Value Added
+$525k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $50,491
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Nuclear Engineering Technology/Technician
AssocCIP: 1514
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$119,805
Natl Median: $100,221
Lifetime Value Added
+$706k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $56,451
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,309
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$20,479
Earnings (4yr)
$66,683
Natl Median: $80,813
Lifetime Value Added
+$187k
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians
AssocCIP: 4706
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,424
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$15,250
Earnings (4yr)
$122,948
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$496k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.