College Trends

Public universities in South Dakota

The College Scorecard lists 6 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in South Dakota, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 21,980 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $19,695 a year, higher than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $55,847 at the median institution, about the same as the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 52.4%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
6
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
21,980
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$19,695
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$55,847
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$21,369
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
52.4%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in South Dakota on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for South Dakota. Showing 6 of 6 public universities in South Dakota; schools missing either value are left out.

All 6 public universities in South Dakota

South Dakota State University
Brookings
9,198$19,362$9,554$13,166$58,802$21,00862.2%83.8%98.3%
University of South Dakota
Vermillion
5,439$20,028$9,687$13,299$58,316$22,00059.9%79.3%98.8%
Dakota State University
Madison
2,071$20,554$9,938$13,130$53,378$21,73048.7%75.5%88.0%
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Rapid City
2,071$20,827$11,500$16,200$78,487$25,16652.3%84.1%79.9%
Black Hills State University
Spearfish
1,928$19,252$9,014$12,206$49,283$19,82241.9%71.7%96.3%
Northern State University
Aberdeen
1,273$15,279$9,824$12,057$51,006$19,50052.5%77.0%93.0%
Showing 6 of 6. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in South Dakota

How many public universities are in South Dakota?
The College Scorecard lists 6 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in South Dakota.
What do public universities in South Dakota cost?
Across the 6 schools that report it, the median average net price is $19,695 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $15,279 at Northern State University to $20,827 at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Which public universities in South Dakota have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Northern State University ($15,279), Black Hills State University ($19,252), South Dakota State University ($19,362), University of South Dakota ($20,028), and Dakota State University ($20,554).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in South Dakota?
The median published in-state tuition is $9,756 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $13,148. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in South Dakota earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $55,847 10 years after starting college (6 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ($78,487), South Dakota State University ($58,802), and University of South Dakota ($58,316).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in South Dakota?
The median graduation rate is 52.4%, across 6 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in South Dakota have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $21,369 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

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Other college types in South Dakota

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How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.