Ranking
Best Colleges in South Dakota by ROI 2026
Oglala Lakota College leads this ROI ranking with a A+ value grade and a 29.71 ROI score. EduGradify ranks 18 colleges here by earnings against net price.
The top-value South Dakota colleges — graduate earnings against net price, from federal data.
- Schools ranked
- 18
- Cheapest net price
- $1,895
- Top earnings 10y
- $72,257
- Public / Private
- 13 / 4
Oglala Lakota College
A+- ROI score
- 29.71
- Net price
- $1,895
- Earnings 10y
- $22,517
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Sisseton Wahpeton College
A+- ROI score
- 26.49
- Net price
- $2,977
- Earnings 10y
- $31,546
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Mitchell Technical College
B- ROI score
- 9.42
- Net price
- $13,460
- Earnings 10y
- $50,743
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
B- ROI score
- 8.95
- Net price
- $20,183
- Earnings 10y
- $72,257
- Acceptance
- 79.9%
Western Dakota Technical College
B- ROI score
- 7.94
- Net price
- $12,670
- Earnings 10y
- $40,240
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
Northern State University
B- ROI score
- 7.53
- Net price
- $15,812
- Earnings 10y
- $47,618
- Acceptance
- 93%
Black Hills State University
C- ROI score
- 7.33
- Net price
- $15,911
- Earnings 10y
- $46,674
- Acceptance
- 96.3%
Lake Area Technical College
C- ROI score
- 7.11
- Net price
- $15,979
- Earnings 10y
- $45,473
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
South Dakota State University
C- ROI score
- 6.94
- Net price
- $19,841
- Earnings 10y
- $55,070
- Acceptance
- 98.3%
Dakota Wesleyan University
C- ROI score
- 6.81
- Net price
- $19,735
- Earnings 10y
- $53,728
- Acceptance
- 73.4%
Southeast Technical College
C- ROI score
- 6.71
- Net price
- $17,400
- Earnings 10y
- $46,709
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
University of South Dakota
C- ROI score
- 6.54
- Net price
- $19,858
- Earnings 10y
- $51,926
- Acceptance
- 98.8%
University of Sioux Falls
C- ROI score
- 6.37
- Net price
- $21,383
- Earnings 10y
- $54,521
- Acceptance
- 82.9%
Augustana University
C- ROI score
- 6.20
- Net price
- $23,894
- Earnings 10y
- $59,217
- Acceptance
- 67.8%
Dakota State University
C- ROI score
- 6.05
- Net price
- $21,057
- Earnings 10y
- $50,970
- Acceptance
- 88.1%
Mount Marty University
C- ROI score
- 5.42
- Net price
- $22,227
- Earnings 10y
- $48,179
- Acceptance
- 42.6%
Sinte Gleska University
D- ROI score
- 4.10
- Net price
- $12,768
- Earnings 10y
- $20,948
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
National American University-Rapid City
D- ROI score
- 3.00
- Net price
- $31,062
- Earnings 10y
- $37,325
- Acceptance
- Open / not reported
How we picked this list
This list starts with South Dakota colleges, then sorts by EduGradify's school-wide ROI proxy: ten-year median earnings weighed against average net price. The set's average EduGradify ROI score is 9.03 (13 public, 4 private).
Source transparency: every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard public data set. See our full methodology for the ROI formula, value grade rules and missing-data handling.
FAQ
Who leads this ranking?
Oglala Lakota College in Kyle, SD tops this ranking. EduGradify value grade is A+.
How does EduGradify pick this list?
We rank this set by roi score using the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard — see our methodology for the full formula. No paid placements, no surveys.
How many South Dakota colleges are in this list?
18 South Dakota colleges qualified for this ranking based on available federal data.
What does net price mean here?
Net price is what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. It is reported by each college to the U.S. Department of Education.
Can I use this ranking as a final college decision?
Use it as a shortlist, not a final decision. The ranking compares school-wide federal data; you should still confirm program fit, aid letters, graduation path, transfer policies and current costs with each college.