2025 South Dakota Colleges Comparison
In South Dakota, 27 colleges are active and serve higher education to students. By school type, there are 13 public schools and 14 private schools. By school level, 17 4-years (or high) schools, 7 2-4 years schools (community colleges), and 3 less than 2 years schools (career, technical or vocational schools) are active this year based on the IPEDS data.
The average undergraduate tuition & fees at South Dakota colleges is $11,608 for state residents and $12,938 for out-of-state students in 2025. The graduate tuition & fee is $10,346 for state residents and $13,153 for out-of-state students. A total of 1,970 students enrolled in South Dakota colleges including 1,693 undergraduate and 590 graduate students.
Most Compared South Dakota Colleges
The following South Dakota college pairs are frequently compared by users. You can compare the schools by their most important academic factors such as acceptance rate and tuition.
2025 Statistics for South Dakota Colleges
Of the 27 South Dakota schools, Sanford Medical Center ranked first and Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City ranked second (view more at South Dakota college rankings).
The 2025 average tuition & fees of all South Dakota colleges is $11,608 for South Dakota residents and $12,938 for out-of-state students. The average acceptance rate is 82.33% and the average SAT score is 1,180. The average number of students is 1,970 and the average student to faculty ratio is 13 to 1.
The below statements summarize the average statistics of tuition, admission, and more academic factors for South Dakota colleges. For the statistics, we include only 4-years colleges such as national universities and liberal arts colleges.
In addition, for some statistics, we include only eligible colleges, for example, for the graduate tuition & fees over colleges that offer the graduate programs.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees of South Dakota colleges are $12,938 and Augustana University has the highest tuition & fees of $40,160 and Oglala Lakota College has the lowest tuition & fees of $2,684.
- The average graduate tuition & fees of South Dakota colleges are $13,153 and Augustana University has the highest tuition & fees of $40,830 and Sinte Gleska University has the lowest tuition & fees of $2,108.
- The average SAT score of South Dakota colleges is 1,180 and Dakota State University has the highest SAT score of 1,320 and Black Hills State University has the lowest score of 1,060.
- The average acceptance rate of South Dakota colleges is 82.33% and Mount Marty University has the tightest (lowest) rate of 43% and University of South Dakota has the loosest (lowest) rate of 99%.
- The average student population of South Dakota colleges is 1,970 and South Dakota State University has the most students of 12,056 and Sisseton Wahpeton College has the fewest students of 206.
- The average graduation rate of South Dakota colleges is 53.91% and Augustana University has the highest rate of 73% and Oglala Lakota College has the lowest rate of 9%.
South Dakota Colleges Core Statistics Comparison
The following table lists colleges located in South Dakota ordered by college ranking. The ranking is targeting only 4-years universities and colleges. The "-" value in other columns means that the corresponding data has not been reported or the school does not have programs for the values.
You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using the buttons below.
| College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanford Medical Center Sioux Falls, SD Private, 2-4 years | $2,750 | - | - | - | 28 | - | 5 to 1 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City Rapid City, SD Private, Less than 2 years | $16,450 | - | - | - | 66 | 88% | 11 to 1 |
| Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls, SD Public, 2-4 years | $7,650 | - | - | - | 2,659 | 59% | 13 to 1 |
| Avera Sacred Heart Hospital Yankton, SD Private, 2-4 years | $2,500 | - | - | - | 15 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Avera McKennan Hospital School of Radiologic Technology Sioux Falls, SD Private, 2-4 years | $2,600 | - | - | - | 23 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Kairos University Sioux Falls, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $3,600 | $3,600 | - | 84.6% | 1,239 | - | 9 to 1 |
| Sisseton Wahpeton College Sisseton, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $4,330 | - | - | - | 206 | 21% | 8 to 1 |
| Dakota Wesleyan University Mitchell, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $33,790 | $15,300 | - | 73.4% | 892 | 48% | 12 to 1 |
| Oglala Lakota College Kyle, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $2,684 | $2,518 | - | - | 1,188 | 9% | 10 to 1 |
| Lake Area Technical College Watertown, SD Public, 2-4 years | $6,718 | - | - | - | 2,312 | 73% | 16 to 1 |
| Stewart School Sioux Falls, SD Private, Less than 2 years | $14,300 | - | - | - | 133 | 88% | 13 to 1 |
| Mitchell Technical College Mitchell, SD Public, 2-4 years | $7,524 | - | - | - | 1,186 | 76% | 12 to 1 |
| Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City, SD Public, 2-4 years | $8,294 | - | - | - | 1,164 | 54% | 11 to 1 |
| Sinte Gleska University Mission, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $4,714 | $2,108 | - | - | 592 | 15% | 16 to 1 |
| The Salon Professional Academy Rapid City, SD Private, Less than 2 years | $16,485 | - | - | - | 80 | 79% | 15 to 1 |
| Institute of Lutheran Theology Brookings, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $13,430 | $9,100 | - | - | - | - | - |
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Rapid City, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $14,900 | $14,600 | 1,230 | 79.9% | 2,576 | 53% | 12 to 1 |
| South Dakota State University Brookings, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $12,809 | $16,917 | 1,130 | 98.3% | 12,056 | 62% | 17 to 1 |
| University of South Dakota Vermillion, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $12,942 | $12,768 | 1,205 | 98.8% | 10,619 | 60% | 16 to 1 |
| Dakota State University Madison, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $12,756 | $11,931 | 1,320 | 88.1% | 3,774 | 51% | 18 to 1 |
| Black Hills State University Spearfish, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $12,018 | $15,849 | 1,060 | 96.3% | 3,346 | 43% | 17 to 1 |
| Augustana University Sioux Falls, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $40,160 | $40,830 | 1,255 | 67.8% | 2,390 | 73% | 12 to 1 |
| Northern State University Aberdeen, SD Public, 4 years four-years | $11,947 | $11,936 | 1,060 | 93.0% | 3,708 | 49% | 19 to 1 |
| University of Sioux Falls Sioux Falls, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $21,750 | $7,470 | - | 82.9% | 1,450 | 63% | 18 to 1 |
| National American University-Rapid City Rapid City, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $16,065 | $16,425 | - | - | 903 | 60% | 6 to 1 |
| Mount Marty University Yankton, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $34,600 | $16,499 | - | 42.6% | 1,284 | 52% | 12 to 1 |
| California Intercontinental University Sioux Falls, SD Private, 4 years four-years | $9,504 | $10,674 | - | - | 623 | 10% | 16 to 1 |
| Average | $12,938 | $13,153 | 1,180 | 82.3% | 1,970 | 54% | 13 to 1 |