Best Colleges in South Dakota (2026)
Updated
Best Colleges in South Dakota ranks 10 four-year institutions in South Dakota on Azimuth's overall score for the state. Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for South Dakota, highest first.
The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranks 1st on this list and reports median earnings of $87,878 for its graduates four years after completing.
Public institutions account for 6 of the 10 schools, or 60% of the list. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranks 505th on Azimuth's composite ranking among the 1,467 public and private nonprofit four-year institutions Azimuth ranks nationally.
Northern State University posts the lowest average net price at $15,812, while Augustana University records the highest six-year completion rate at 73%.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD | $87,878 | $20,183 | $15,348 | 79.9% |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology reports median earnings of $87,878 for its graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
| 2 | South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD | $63,042 | $19,841 | $14,266 | 98.3% |
| With an admission rate of 98%, South Dakota State University graduates 62% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 3 | University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD | $62,334 | $19,858 | $14,921 | 98.8% |
| University of South Dakota carries an average net price of $19,858, alongside median earnings of $62,334 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Augustana University · Sioux Falls, SD | $65,005 | $23,894 | $18,746 | 67.8% |
| Augustana University graduates 73% of its students within six years, the top completion rate on the page. | |||||
| 5 | University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD | $58,903 | $21,383 | $18,145 | 82.9% |
| University of Sioux Falls ranks 5th on this list and reports an average net price of $21,383. | |||||
| 6 | Dakota State University · Madison, SD | $63,160 | $21,057 | $17,317 | 88.1% |
| Median earnings for Dakota State University graduates four years after completing reach $63,160, and the school admits 88% of applicants. | |||||
| 7 | Dakota Wesleyan University · Mitchell, SD | $64,461 | $19,735 | $15,251 | 73.4% |
| An average net price of $15,251 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with a six-year completion rate of 48% at Dakota Wesleyan University. | |||||
| 8 | Mount Marty University · Yankton, SD | $57,208 | $22,227 | $19,564 | 42.6% |
| Mount Marty University admits 43% of applicants, making it the most selective institution on this list. | |||||
| 9 | Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD | $53,116 | $15,812 | $10,762 | 93.0% |
| Northern State University carries the lowest average net price on the page at $15,812, and graduates 49% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 10 | Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD | $48,243 | $15,911 | $11,863 | 96.3% |
| Black Hills State University reports median earnings of $48,243 for its graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $11,863 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by Azimuth's overall score for South Dakota, highest first. The score combines four pillars, weighted 30% return, 30% mobility, 20% access and 20% affordability, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The score draws on institution-level earnings for federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after completing, alongside measures of access, affordability and mobility. It does not measure fit or teaching quality. The list includes 6 public and 4 private nonprofit four-year institutions. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranks 505th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its graduates across all fields report median earnings of $87,878 four years after completing.