Tribal Colleges

Tribal colleges and universities (TCUs) are a category of higher education, minority-serving institutions defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965. Each qualifies for funding under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 or the Navajo Community College Act. TCUs are distinguished by being controlled and operated by federally recognized American Indian tribes. In 2023, 36 Tribal Colleges are active and serve students in diverse area, both undergraduate and graduate programs.

Tribal Colleges Key Statistics

Number of Schools
36 Tribal Colleges 31 Public Schools 5 Private Schools
Undergraduate Tuition & fees
$3,665 In-State Rate $3,993 Out-of-State Rate $4,388 Private Schools
Graduate Tuition & fees
$5,858 In-State Rate $6,076 Out-of-State Rate $3,964 Private Schools
Members
494 Students in Average 24 Faculties 89 Staffs 10 Students per Faculty
Outcomes
21.15% Graduation Rate 14.47% Transfer-out Rate 60.08% Retention Rate
  • All
  • Private
  • Public
  • Community Colleges
  • Graduate Schools
Dine College - Tsaile, AZ
Dine College Tsaile, AZ
$1,410 in-state
$1,410 out-of-state
Haskell - Lawrence, KS
Haskell Lawrence, KS
$480 in-state
$600 out-of-state
BCC - Browning, MT
BCC Browning, MT
$3,610
Chief Dull Knife College - Lame Deer, MT
Chief Dull Knife College Lame Deer, MT
$2,260 in-state
$2,260 out-of-state
Aaniiih Nakoda College - Harlem, MT
Aaniiih Nakoda College Harlem, MT
$2,410 in-state
$3,600 out-of-state
Fort Peck Community College - Poplar, MT
Fort Peck Community College Poplar, MT
$2,250 in-state
$2,250 out-of-state
Little Big Horn College - Crow Agency, MT
Little Big Horn College Crow Agency, MT
$3,200 in-state
$3,200 out-of-state
SKC - Pablo, MT
SKC Pablo, MT
$6,399 in-state
$11,583 out-of-state
NICC - Macy, NE
NICC Macy, NE
$4,080 in-state
$4,080 out-of-state
Navajo Tech - Crownpoint, NM
Navajo Tech Crownpoint, NM
$2,402 in-state
$4,250 out-of-state
Institute of American Indian Art - Santa Fe, NM
Institute of American Indian Art Santa Fe, NM
$5,561 in-state
$5,801 out-of-state
SIPI - Albuquerque, NM
SIPI Albuquerque, NM
$1,095 in-state
$1,095 out-of-state
NHSC - New Town, ND
NHSC New Town, ND
$3,870 in-state
$3,870 out-of-state
Little Hoop Community College - Fort Totten, ND
Little Hoop Community College Fort Totten, ND
$3,950 in-state
$3,950 out-of-state
Sitting Bull College - Fort Yates, ND
Sitting Bull College Fort Yates, ND
$4,010 in-state
$4,010 out-of-state
TMCC - Belcourt, ND
TMCC Belcourt, ND
$2,626
United Tribes Technical College - Bismarck, ND
United Tribes Technical College Bismarck, ND
$4,252
Oglala Lakota College - Kyle, SD
Oglala Lakota College Kyle, SD
$2,684 in-state
$2,684 out-of-state
Sinte Gleska University - Mission, SD
Sinte Gleska University Mission, SD
$4,714 in-state
$4,714 out-of-state
Sisseton Wahpeton College - Sisseton, SD
Sisseton Wahpeton College Sisseton, SD
$4,330 in-state
$4,330 out-of-state
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University - Hayward, WI
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University Hayward, WI
$6,030 in-state
$6,030 out-of-state
SCC - Box Elder, MT
SCC Box Elder, MT
$2,645 in-state
$3,610 out-of-state
BMCC - Brimley, MI
BMCC Brimley, MI
$3,320 in-state
$3,320 out-of-state
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College - Cloquet, MN
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Cloquet, MN
$5,999 in-state
$5,999 out-of-state
Northwest Indian College - Bellingham, WA
Northwest Indian College Bellingham, WA
$3,969 in-state
$3,969 out-of-state
CMN - Keshena, WI
CMN Keshena, WI
$6,200
Leech Lake Tribal College - Cass Lake, MN
Leech Lake Tribal College Cass Lake, MN
$4,148 in-state
$4,148 out-of-state
Little Priest Tribal College - Winnebago, NE
Little Priest Tribal College Winnebago, NE
$5,140 in-state
$5,400 out-of-state
Ilisagvik College - Barrow, AK
Ilisagvik College Barrow, AK
$5,260 in-state
$5,260 out-of-state
WETCC - Mahnomen, MN
WETCC Mahnomen, MN
$5,250
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College - Mount Pleasant, MI
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Mount Pleasant, MI
$2,210 in-state
$2,210 out-of-state
Tohono O'odham Community College - Sells, AZ
Tohono O'odham Community College Sells, AZ
$932 in-state
$932 out-of-state
KBOCC - Baraga, MI
KBOCC Baraga, MI
$4,640 in-state
$5,000 out-of-state
College of the Muscogee Nation - Okmulgee, OK
College of the Muscogee Nation Okmulgee, OK
$6,600 in-state
$6,600 out-of-state
Red Lake Nation College - Red Lake, MN
Red Lake Nation College Red Lake, MN
$6,640 in-state
$6,640 out-of-state
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College - Wabanung Campus - L'Anse, MI
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College - Wabanung Campus L'Anse, MI
$975 in-state
$975 out-of-state

U.S. Tribal Colleges Comparison

Highest Tuition Highest Graduation Rate Lowest Students per Faculty Most Students
School NameTypeStateTuition Graduation RateRetention RateEnrollmentStudents to Faculty
Dine College
Tsaile, AZ		 Public Arizona $1,410
($1,410)		 18% 100% 1,552 15 to 1
Haskell Indian Nations University
Lawrence, KS		 Public Kansas $600
($480)		 45% - 727 19 to 1
Blackfeet Community College
Browning, MT		 Private Montana $3,610 1% - 346 14 to 1
Chief Dull Knife College
Lame Deer, MT		 Public Montana $2,260
($2,260)		 - 83% 221 12 to 1
Aaniiih Nakoda College
Harlem, MT		 Public Montana $3,600
($2,410)		 28% - 115 10 to 1
Fort Peck Community College
Poplar, MT		 Public Montana $2,250
($2,250)		 13% 43% 697 15 to 1
Little Big Horn College
Crow Agency, MT		 Public Montana $3,200
($3,200)		 6% 39% 296 12 to 1
Salish Kootenai College
Pablo, MT		 Public Montana $11,583
($6,399)		 61% 50% 619 5 to 1
Nebraska Indian Community College
Macy, NE		 Public Nebraska $4,080
($4,080)		 - 69% 474 5 to 1
Navajo Technical University
Crownpoint, NM		 Public New Mexico $4,250
($2,402)		 8% 29% 1,354 8 to 1
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development
Santa Fe, NM		 Public New Mexico $5,801
($5,561)		 27% 79% 868 9 to 1
Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Albuquerque, NM		 Public New Mexico $1,095
($1,095)		 13% 26% 269 7 to 1
Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College
New Town, ND		 Public North Dakota $3,870
($3,870)		 6% - 172 5 to 1
Cankdeska Cikana Community College
Fort Totten, ND		 Public North Dakota $3,950
($3,950)		 11% 26% 316 10 to 1
Sitting Bull College
Fort Yates, ND		 Public North Dakota $4,010
($4,010)		 21% - 257 7 to 1
Turtle Mountain Community College
Belcourt, ND		 Private North Dakota $2,626 37% 67% 599 10 to 1
United Tribes Technical College
Bismarck, ND		 Private North Dakota $4,252 12% - 506 12 to 1
Oglala Lakota College
Kyle, SD		 Public South Dakota $2,684
($2,684)		 6% 67% 1,177 10 to 1
Sinte Gleska University
Mission, SD		 Public South Dakota $4,714
($4,714)		 9% 100% 544 16 to 1
Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton, SD		 Public South Dakota $4,330
($4,330)		 6% - 187 7 to 1
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Hayward, WI		 Public Wisconsin $6,030
($6,030)		 8% 67% 303 8 to 1
Stone Child College
Box Elder, MT		 Public Montana $3,610
($2,645)		 14% 100% 281 11 to 1
Bay Mills Community College
Brimley, MI		 Public Michigan $3,320
($3,320)		 26% - 538 8 to 1
Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College
Cloquet, MN		 Public Minnesota $5,999
($5,999)		 31% 61% 1,648 15 to 1
Northwest Indian College
Bellingham, WA		 Public Washington $3,969
($3,969)		 27% 50% 643 11 to 1
College of Menominee Nation
Keshena, WI		 Private Wisconsin $6,200 33% 50% 281 7 to 1
Leech Lake Tribal College
Cass Lake, MN		 Public Minnesota $4,148
($4,148)		 15% 71% 172 10 to 1
Little Priest Tribal College
Winnebago, NE		 Public Nebraska $5,400
($5,140)		 13% 38% 208 7 to 1
Ilisagvik College
Barrow, AK		 Public Alaska $5,260
($5,260)		 75% - 179 8 to 1
White Earth Tribal and Community College
Mahnomen, MN		 Private Minnesota $5,250 19% 44% 102 9 to 1
Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College
Mount Pleasant, MI		 Public Michigan $2,210
($2,210)		 28% 100% 143 6 to 1
Tohono O'odham Community College
Sells, AZ		 Public Arizona $932
($932)		 5% 64% 922 26 to 1
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College
Baraga, MI		 Public Michigan $5,000
($4,640)		 21% 50% 151 10 to 1
College of the Muscogee Nation
Okmulgee, OK		 Public Oklahoma $6,600
($6,600)		 30% 45% 243 10 to 1
Red Lake Nation College
Red Lake, MN		 Public Minnesota $6,640
($6,640)		 25% 44% 184 12 to 1
Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College - Wabanung Campus
L'Anse, MI		 Public Michigan $975
($975)		 - - - -