Lake Area Technical Institute
Watertown, SD, United States
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
Photo: Bp0, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lake Area Technical Institute has 21 programs with reported graduate earnings. The highest is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (associate), where graduates earn a median $74,559 one year after finishing, against $74,427 for the same field nationally.
Graduation rate
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
Students who return for a second year
Median earnings
$48,729
Former students who received federal aid
Source: U.S. College Scorecard, field of study, 2025
Median earnings of graduates who received federal aid, one and four years after finishing, and the median federal loan debt they borrowed at Lake Area Technical Institute. The field median is the middle value for the same field and credential across every college that reports it. 15 more programs have too few graduates for earnings to be published.
Highest-earning programs
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 47 | $74,559 | N/A | $74,4270% above | $12,657 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | 10 | N/A | $72,225 | $77,2376% below | $11,083 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | 18 | $65,038 | $69,953 | $73,9195% below | $12,000 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 143 | $55,690 | $60,763 | $60,0861% above | $12,000 |
| Computer Science | 28 | $41,083 | $60,752 | $64,0475% below | $12,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 4 | $56,901 | N/A | $60,3636% below | N/A |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 18 | $57,120 | $52,822 | $47,30612% above | $12,000 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 13 | $50,088 | $51,402 | $56,1688% below | N/A |
| Precision Metal Working | 34 | $52,506 | $51,201 | $58,64013% below | $11,000 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 87 | $49,340 | $48,305 | $48,5651% below | $12,000 |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | 12 | $43,218 | $47,946 | $60,30920% below | N/A |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 19 | $43,732 | $47,420 | $52,2089% below | $13,165 |
| Marketing | 66 | $41,641 | $43,632 | $47,2258% below | $12,000 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 30 | $39,684 | $43,574 | $46,2466% below | $12,000 |
| Human Services, General | 12 | $31,936 | $37,135 | $42,04812% below | $9,736 |
| Program | Graduates | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | Field median | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 94 | $47,904 | $56,633 | $56,8210% above | $11,000 |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 16 | N/A | $50,334 | $50,5931% below | $5,500 |
| Precision Metal Working | 30 | N/A | $49,693 | $49,1001% above | $5,500 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 18 | $38,826 | $38,313 | $36,7484% above | $5,500 |
| Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services | 35 | $24,262 | $35,222 | $25,01241% above | $7,855 |
| Human Services, General | 16 | N/A | $34,188 | $29,78615% above | $5,500 |
Careers linked to the programs Lake Area Technical Institute reports, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for the whole occupation, not for this college's graduates.
Healthcare practitioners
Master's degree
Via Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Transportation
Bachelor's degree
Via Air Transportation
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Finance and Financial Management Services
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Finance and Financial Management Services
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Computer Science
Management
Bachelor's degree
Via Marketing
Every field of study, with the colleges that offer it and what graduates earn.
Programs A–ZVerified facts
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Mitchell Technical InstituteMitchell, SD
Western Dakota Technical InstituteRapid City, SDPremium Fit Report$29 once
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Bars show profile closeness out of 100: how near each college's graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control are to Lake Area Technical Institute. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later card can score higher.
Mitchell Technical Institute
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Graduation rate 75%, close to 74%
Profile closeness76/100
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Same control type (public)
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Enrollment 1,533 students, close to 1,812
Profile closeness69/100
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Enrollment 2,168 students, close to 1,812
Profile closeness67/100
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Profile closeness66/100
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Sheldon, IA
Average net price $12,665, close to $15,278
Profile closeness64/100
Anoka Technical College
Anoka, MN
Enrollment 1,684 students, close to 1,812
Profile closeness63/100
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