Bemidji State University

Public · Moderately Selective · MN

Photo: mwp_42 (CC BY 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePublic

LocationMN · Midwest

SettingRural

Undergrads3,139

Student:faculty18:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate32.9%

6-yr grad rate47.9%

Drop-out rate27.3%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$10k

Out-of-state tuition$10k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity22.7%

Gender diversity61%

International1.6%

Identity—

Overview

Bemidji State University sits directly on the shore of Lake Bemidji in Minnesota's north woods, and that setting shapes much of the school's identity — outdoor recreation, environmental studies, and a strong hockey tradition are all central to how the campus sees itself.

Academics

Education, business, and nursing are the university's steady, regionally oriented programs, and environmental studies and outdoor-recreation-related fields benefit directly from the lake and forest setting surrounding campus.

Campus & student life

Hockey carries real weight in the school's identity and community pride, consistent with the sport's importance across northern Minnesota, and the lakeside campus supports a genuinely outdoor-oriented student culture — canoeing, hiking, and winter sports are part of daily life, not just weekend options.

Getting in

As a regional Minnesota State university, admission is accessible and geared toward serving students from the surrounding north woods region and beyond.

Worth knowing

The Lake Bemidji setting is a defining, literal feature of the campus — several academic buildings and residence halls sit directly on the shoreline, unusual for a public university of its size.

bemidjistate.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate56%

Enrolled mid-50%ACT 18–24

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying