Best colleges for education in South Dakota

    South Dakota State University ranks first in South Dakota for education value (#238 nationally, value score 51.6): graduates earn $50,076 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $19,362 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 8 South Dakota colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best education colleges in South Dakota

    South Dakota State University ranks first in South Dakota for education value (#238 nationally, value score 51.6): graduates earn $50,076 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $19,362 a year. 8 South Dakota colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $46,317 and the average net price is $20,291 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 8 South Dakota colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $46,317 and the average net price is $20,291 a year.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Northern State University: $15,279 a year.
    Median earnings
    $46,317
    National: $48,822
    Median net price
    $20,291
    National: $17,201
    Median federal debt
    $23,475
    education graduates
    Public colleges
    5 of 8
    in this list

    8 colleges

    The South Dakota ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in South Dakota 1

      South Dakota State University

      Brookings, SD · Public · #238 nationally

      51.6Value
      Earnings
      $50,076
      Net price
      $19,362
      Federal debt
      $23,575
      Graduation rate
      62%
    2. Rank in South Dakota 2

      Mount Marty College

      Yankton, SD · Private nonprofit · #266 nationally

      48.9Value
      Earnings
      $49,652
      Net price
      $21,395
      Federal debt
      $23,328
      Graduation rate
      63%
    3. Rank in South Dakota 3

      Northern State University

      Aberdeen, SD · Public · #371 nationally

      39.0Value
      Earnings
      $44,147
      Net price
      $15,279
      Federal debt
      $20,500
      Graduation rate
      52%
    4. Rank in South Dakota 4

      University of South Dakota

      Vermillion, SD · Public · #379 nationally

      37.8Value
      Earnings
      $46,034
      Net price
      $20,028
      Federal debt
      $22,500
      Graduation rate
      60%
    5. Rank in South Dakota 5

      Dakota State University

      Madison, SD · Public · #386 nationally

      36.8Value
      Earnings
      $48,997
      Net price
      $20,554
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      49%
    6. Rank in South Dakota 6

      Augustana University-South Dakota

      Sioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit · #396 nationally

      35.4Value
      Earnings
      $46,600
      Net price
      $23,283
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      73%
    7. Rank in South Dakota 7

      University of Sioux Falls

      Sioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit · #457 nationally

      27.7Value
      Earnings
      $44,735
      Net price
      $21,417
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      64%
    8. Rank in South Dakota 8

      Black Hills State University

      Spearfish, SD · Public · #469 nationally

      26.4Value
      Earnings
      $44,958
      Net price
      $19,252
      Federal debt
      $23,375
      Graduation rate
      42%

    Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about education colleges in South Dakota

    What are the best colleges for education in South Dakota?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 South Dakota colleges for education are South Dakota State University (value score 51.6), Mount Marty College (value score 48.9) and Northern State University (value score 39). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which South Dakota college has the highest earnings for education graduates?

    South Dakota State University: its education graduates have median earnings of $50,076 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable education college in South Dakota on this list?

    Northern State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked South Dakota colleges, $15,279 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many South Dakota colleges are ranked for education?

    8 South Dakota colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within South Dakota.