WSSU vs. Black Hills State University

Should I go to Winston Salem State University or Black Hills State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if WSSU or Black Hills State University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Winston Salem State University vs. Black Hills State University comparison
Winston Salem State University Black Hills State University College 3 College 4
Winston Salem State University Black Hills State University
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Overview

WSSU Black Hills State University
Location Winston-Salem, NC Spearfish, SD
Setting Midsize City Remote Town
Enrollment 5,004 3,425
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #1006
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu bhsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSSU Black Hills State University
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $7,700
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $10,800
Room & Board $11,220 $7,528
Avg Net Price $14,097 $16,782
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $4,986
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 100%

Admission

WSSU Black Hills State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 1,579
Admitted 5,598 1,526
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 96.6%
Enrolled % 15.3% 31.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 3.22
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 18/24
SAT Range 830/1050 970/1085
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 15, 2025

Academics

WSSU Black Hills State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Education (21%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

WSSU Black Hills State University
Graduation Rate 41% 28%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $38,800
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $25,478
Median Loan Payment $265 $263

Diversity

WSSU Black Hills State University
% Men 24% 37%
% Women 76% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 83%
% Black 72% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 4%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

WSSU Black Hills State University
% In-State 82% 57%
% Out-of-State 16% 42%

Campus

WSSU Black Hills State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than Black Hills State University based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 3,425 students)

WSSU vs. Black Hills State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, WSSU or Black Hills State University?

  • Black Hills State University is 126.4% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($7,700.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.2% higher at WSSU than Black Hills State University ($14,057.00 vs. $10,800.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Winston Salem State University than Black Hills State University ($14,097 vs. $16,782)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Black Hills State University are 49% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($7,528 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Black Hills State University than Winston Salem State University (100% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Winston Salem State University students is 67.5% larger than aid received Black Hills State University ($8,350 vs. $4,986)

WSSU vs. Black Hills State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU or Black Hills State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Black Hills State University or WSSU .

  • The average SAT score at Black Hills State University (988) is 118 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming Black Hills State University students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman Black Hills State University students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.22) than students at WSSU (3.01)
  • Black Hills State University has a higher acceptance rate (96.6%) than WSSU (73.4%)

WSSU vs. Black Hills State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, WSSU or Black Hills State University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Black Hills State University and WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than Black Hills State University (41% vs. 28%)
  • Graduates from Black Hills State University earn on average $3,100 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($38,800 vs. $35,700)
  • Black Hills State University students graduate with a $185 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($25,478 vs. $25,663)
  • Black Hills State University graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($263 vs. $265)
  • More Black Hills State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 33%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/