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Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Reports Enrollment Increase for Fall 2025

September 11, 2025

Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ saw an overall enrollment increase of 2.4 percent for Fall 2025, including the first rise in student credit hours since 2013 and growth in first-time freshmen for the fifth consecutive year with 500 enrollees, the highest count since 2019.

Retention continues to elevate, achieving a 72 percent rate this fall, an 11 percent increase since 2021.

"This is a very exciting time for BHSU,â€� President Steve Elliott said. “University enrollment is a team effort, and I am very proud of the work our faculty and staff have done over this past year to make BHSU a place of opportunity for our students. As a result of our collaborative efforts, we are gaining momentum and seeing healthy enrollment increases in both degree-seeking and non-degree-seeking students, which is a positive indicator for Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ State."

The Fall 2025 headcount is 3,425 — up from 3,346 in Fall 2024 — while total credit hours grew from 30,844 to 31,151 over the past year.

Compared to Fall 2024, the American Indian student population grew by 58 percent to a headcount of 142. First-time graduate student enrollment more than doubled, and the Veteran/Veteran Dependent headcount reached its highest level since Fall 2018.

An exciting new array of academic programs is currently being developed to meet the needs of the Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ region, including new specializations in agribusiness/ranch management and finance, which are now being offered this fall. BHSU also relaunched its Master of Business Administration degree in a flexible format, available in Spearfish, Rapid City, and online, with a one-year accelerated option.

The South Dakota Board of Regents publishes enrollment numbers at the beginning of each academic year. For additional information, please contact info@sdbor.edu or visit .