Ranking

Best Colleges in South Dakota by ROI 2026

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+

Kyle, SD · Public

ROI score: 29.71
Net price: $1,895
Earnings 10y: $22,517
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Sisseton Wahpeton College

A+

Sisseton, SD · Public

ROI score: 26.49
Net price: $2,977
Earnings 10y: $31,546
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell, SD · Public

ROI score: 9.42
Net price: $13,460
Earnings 10y: $50,743
Acceptance: Open / not reported

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Rapid City, SD · Public

ROI score: 8.95
Net price: $20,183
Earnings 10y: $72,257
Acceptance: 79.9%

Western Dakota Technical College

Rapid City, SD · Public

ROI score: 7.94
Net price: $12,670
Earnings 10y: $40,240
Acceptance: Open / not reported

Northern State University

Aberdeen, SD · Public

ROI score: 7.53
Net price: $15,812
Earnings 10y: $47,618
Acceptance: 93%

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, SD · Public

ROI score: 7.33
Net price: $15,911
Earnings 10y: $46,674
Acceptance: 96.3%

Lake Area Technical College

Watertown, SD · Public

ROI score: 7.11
Net price: $15,979
Earnings 10y: $45,473
Acceptance: Open / not reported

South Dakota State University

Brookings, SD · Public

ROI score: 6.94
Net price: $19,841
Earnings 10y: $55,070
Acceptance: 98.3%

#10

Dakota Wesleyan University

Mitchell, SD · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.81
Net price: $19,735
Earnings 10y: $53,728
Acceptance: 73.4%

#11

Southeast Technical College

Sioux Falls, SD · Public

ROI score: 6.71
Net price: $17,400
Earnings 10y: $46,709
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#12

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, SD · Public

ROI score: 6.54
Net price: $19,858
Earnings 10y: $51,926
Acceptance: 98.8%

#13

University of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, SD · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.37
Net price: $21,383
Earnings 10y: $54,521
Acceptance: 82.9%

#14

Augustana University

Sioux Falls, SD · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 6.20
Net price: $23,894
Earnings 10y: $59,217
Acceptance: 67.8%

#15

Dakota State University

Madison, SD · Public

ROI score: 6.05
Net price: $21,057
Earnings 10y: $50,970
Acceptance: 88.1%

#16

Mount Marty University

Yankton, SD · Private Non-Profit

ROI score: 5.42
Net price: $22,227
Earnings 10y: $48,179
Acceptance: 42.6%

#17

Sinte Gleska University

Mission, SD · Public

ROI score: 4.10
Net price: $12,768
Earnings 10y: $20,948
Acceptance: Open / not reported

#18

National American University-Rapid City

Rapid City, SD · Private For-Profit

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).

Every figure comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. See our full methodology for the formulas.

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.