Admit rate has ranged 65%–78% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Bemidji State University is Minnesota's premier north woods university, offering a ruggedly scenic campus on the shores of Lake Bemidji with a surprisingly robust academic lineup—200+ programs, from Indigenous business emphases to sustainability sciences. Its 56% acceptance rate and test-optional policy make it accessible, while its 51% graduation rate and $36K median early-career earnings reflect its regional value proposition.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
Grade point average
Class rank
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
3,139
In-state tuition
$10,237
Out-of-state tuition
$10,237
Location
Bemidji, MN
Popular Majors
Nursing, Business, Liberal Arts
Acceptance Rate
56% (varies by source)
4-Year Grad Rate
37%
Avg Early Career Earnings
$36,427
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$53,755
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
3.5×
Median debt at graduation
$19,750
Graduation rate
48%
First-year retention
73%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
68%
Pell (lower-income) share
51%
First-generation share
27%
Endowment / student
$12,682
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$62,654
Computer Science$62,069
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians$55,512
Mathematics$47,260
Accounting and Related Services
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.32
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
95
Summer high
77°F
Winter low
5°F
Annual rain
27.9"
Annual snow
47.2"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Low
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
55
Scholarly works
1,013
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Bemidji State University?
Bemidji State University's acceptance rate is approximately 56% (Bemidji, MN), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Bemidji State University cost?
At Bemidji State University, the average net price (after aid) is about $15,261 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Bemidji State University?
Bemidji State University enrolls approximately 3,139 undergraduate students.
Where is Bemidji State University located?
Bemidji State University is located in Bemidji, MN.
Admissions
Bemidji State's admissions process is moderately selective, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. fluctuating between 56% (Niche) and 91% (PrepScholar), likely reflecting differing applicant pools or reporting methodologies. The university is Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight., explicitly stating ACT/SAT scores aren't required but 'encouraged' if available. Admitted students typically have ACT scores between 18-24, suggesting a focus on accessibility over elite academics. The 10-year average acceptance rate sits at 70.43%, with recent trends showing increased selectivity (55.98% in latest data).
Bemidji State punches above its weight with 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs. Popular majors include Nursing (131 graduates), Business (125), and Liberal Arts (87), per Niche data. The Business Administration department offers niche emphases like Indigenous Business and Entrepreneurship, while broader categories span from Medicine & Health to Science & Sustainability. Class sizes lean intimate—US News notes most instruction happens in smaller settings, though specific figures aren't provided in available sources.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$46,193
Social Work$41,937
Criminal Justice and Corrections$41,789
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Life here orbits around lake culture and tight-knit community. The 3,610 undergrads (58.9% female, per US News) describe campus as 'peaceful, green, and scenic' with classrooms framing lake views. Outdoor recreation is woven into campus identity—Instagram shows students ice fishing and cross-country skiing. The Student Association holds weekly senate meetings, suggesting active governance participation. Over 120 students recently presented at an experiential learning showcase, indicating robust undergraduate research opportunities.
Graduation metrics tell a story of steady improvement: 51% overall graduation rate (BSU data), with 37% finishing in four years (Data USA). Transfer-out rates sit at 28%, suggesting some students use BSU as a stepping stone. Early career earnings average $36,427 (Niche), though specific majors vary wildly—Accounting graduates report 56% employment rates at $60K salaries, while Biology grads earn $61K but with just 41% employment (Minnesota MyHigherEd). These figures position BSU as a solid ROI for in-state students.
BSU's Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. averages $16,349 after aid (MeetYourClass), with housing at $3,870/semester and food at $2,319/semester. The university emphasizes grants and scholarships—notably listing them separately from loans in its financial aid materials. While official tuition figures aren't provided in the snippets, the Net Price Calculator suggests personalized estimates are readily available, indicating transparency around costs. This aligns with its identity as a value-focused regional institution.
Bemidji State carves a unique niche as Minnesota's only four-year university embedded in the north woods' lake country. Its academic strengths—like Indigenous-focused business programs and hands-on sustainability research—directly engage with its geographic context. The 51% graduation rate outpaces many regional publics, while the Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight. policy and sub-$40K median earnings reflect its mission as an accessible engine for upward mobility. For students craving rigorous academics paired with ice-fishing breaks between classes, it's arguably unmatched.
