College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in South Dakota
When you think of best value colleges, South Dakota may not be the first state you name, but this rugged and sparsely populated state is home to some really high value schools.
Using Payscale’s College ROI Report, you can determine which school provides the best college return on investment South Dakota can offer you.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$800,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$104,000 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$31,400 |
| Rank:2 | School Name:South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$782,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$121,000 | Graduation Rate:56% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$31,400 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Dakota State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$367,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$92,900 | Graduation Rate:49% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$25,600 |
| Rank:4 | School Name:_50px.png) South Dakota State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$365,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$90,300 | Graduation Rate:59% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$32,000 |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Presentation College (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$360,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$148,000 | Graduation Rate:27% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,100 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:Dakota State University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$355,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$105,000 | Graduation Rate:49% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$25,600 |
| Rank:7 | School Name:South Dakota State University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$351,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$104,000 | Graduation Rate:59% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$32,000 |
| Rank:8 | School Name: University of South Dakota (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$274,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$94,600 | Graduation Rate:57% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,400 |
| Rank:9 | School Name:University of South Dakota (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$260,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$109,000 | Graduation Rate:57% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$29,400 |
| Rank:10 | School Name: Augustana University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$239,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$206,000 | Graduation Rate:76% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,200 |
The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology only offers majors in engineering, science, technology and math, so graduates easily find high-paying work in engineering and tech. It’s one of the best STEM-focused public colleges in the nation and has a small student population of just 2,300 total students.
Dakota State University focuses heavily on technology, to the point it requires all full-time undergraduate students to use tablet computers and laptops in their classes.
South Dakota State University (SDSU) is a public college attended by more than 12,000 students. South Dakota State University is also dominated by science, technology, engineering and math, but offers a much wider range of majors, including some humanities subjects. SDSU also offers a wide variety of online programs.
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