Best colleges South Dakota

2023 best colleges in South Dakota

While liberal arts colleges are few and far between, students can find quality academic programs and a thriving social scene at South Dakota State University, the state’s largest institution. The oldest university in South Dakota, the University of South Dakota, was established in 1862, 27 years before South Dakota officially became a state. It’s also home to the only medical school and law school in the state. The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology boasts one of the nation’s best engineering programs and one of the highest starting salary averages for graduates.

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#1 in South Dakota | #218 in Engineering nationally

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota

Economic score: 2.14

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $18,578

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 2.1 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $68,422

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $2,046

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 87%
Graduation rate: 58%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

#2 in South Dakota | #270 in Engineering nationally
Economic score: 2.72

The Economic Score is the combination of payback and earningsplus, and is how we determine a school’s rank. The lower the economic score the better. For an analysis of how we arrive at the economic score, and a description of our data sources, please visit our methodology page.

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Net cost: $19,919

The median net cost of students who receive federal financial aid. This is lower than the price advertised by the school.

Payback: 2.6 years

Payback measures how long it takes the average student to pay back the total cost of attending college with marginal earnings. Marginal earnings are the difference between what the average student would have earned before attending college and what they earn afterwards.

Earnings: $68,240

Median earnings of all students 10 years after enrollment. Includes students that did not graduate.

EarningsPlus: - $4,306

EarningsPlus compares student earnings after college against a benchmark that Degreechoices adjusts based on each school’s unique mix of academic programs and the in-state/out-of-state composition of the student body.

Admission rate: 80%
Graduation rate: 54%

Graduation rates below the school’s state average are shown in red. Schools with graduation rates in the bottom 25% nationally (48%) are not ranked and are displayed at the end of the ranking list.

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