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Best Value Degrees in South Dakota (2026)

Top 100 of 114 programs in South Dakota · Updated 2026

The best college programs in South Dakota, ranked by overall value. We scored 114 programs across South Dakota schools on earnings, AI resilience, job demand, and tuition ROI. The top programs average $49,840/yr in graduate earnings.

Programs in SD

114

Avg Earnings (Top 100)

$49,840/yr

Avg DW Score

70/100

#1 Program

Computer & Information Science

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Top Programs in South Dakota

Top 100 programs by DegreeWorth Score. Click any row for full analysis.

#	Program	DW Score	Earnings	AI Risk	ROI
1	Computer & Information Science South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	89 78–91	$78,193/yr	Very High	23.9x
2	Computer & Information Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	88 78–90	$73,770/yr	Very High	26.3x
3	Nursing (RN/BSN) South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	87 82–85	$71,758/yr	High	18.6x
4	Nursing (RN/BSN) University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	87 82–85	$71,758/yr	High	18.6x
5	IT Management Dakota State University · Madison, SD	82 72–86	$58,166/yr	Very High	20.5x
6	Finance Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	80 73–84	$47,781/yr	Very High	18.8x
7	Business Administration University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	83 77–84	$47,107/yr	High	15.6x
8	Finance University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	80 73–84	$49,472/yr	Very High	17.4x
9	Business Administration Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	82 76–82	$45,682/yr	High	14.2x
10	Computer & Information Science Dakota State University · Madison, SD	83 73–83	$61,287/yr	Very High	16.5x
11	Information Science Dakota State University · Madison, SD	83 72–84	$63,636/yr	Very High	19.4x
12	Agricultural Business South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	79 75–81	$51,222/yr	High	15.9x
13	Medical Laboratory Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	77 74–76	$69,255/yr	Moderate	21.0x
14	Business Administration Dakota State University · Madison, SD	80 75–80	$44,748/yr	High	13.4x
15	Business Administration Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	80 75–81	$43,667/yr	High	14.2x
16	Economics University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	79 72–82	$52,857/yr	Very High	18.9x
17	Accounting University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	80 74–81	$57,234/yr	Very High	14.8x
18	Teacher Education (General) Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	78 77–75	$47,978/yr	High	12.4x
19	Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	79 76–78	$47,494/yr	High	13.4x
20	Nursing (RN/BSN) National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	81 76–77	$69,890/yr	High	11.0x
21	Accounting Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	78 71–80	$51,239/yr	Very High	15.0x
22	Criminal Justice University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	75 72–77	$40,402/yr	Moderate	14.1x
23	Computer Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	82 71–83	$72,639/yr	Very High	16.5x
24	Recreation & Parks Management South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	75 72–74	$38,076/yr	Moderate	12.3x
25	Teacher Education (General) Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	77 76–76	$46,042/yr	High	11.4x
26	Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	77 74–77	$45,625/yr	High	12.9x
27	Dental Hygiene University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	75 72–71	$61,265/yr	Moderate	15.4x
28	Teacher Education (General) Dakota State University · Madison, SD	77 76–75	$46,627/yr	High	10.5x
29	Entrepreneurship South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	77 71–77	$43,904/yr	High	13.2x
30	Teacher Education (General) University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	74 74–72	$43,790/yr	High	11.4x
31	Business Administration National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	75 70–75	$48,827/yr	High	8.0x
32	Teacher Education (General) South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	74 74–73	$43,530/yr	High	10.7x
33	Economics South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	74 67–77	$44,663/yr	Very High	16.4x
34	Nursing (RN/BSN) University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	77 73–75	$70,622/yr	High	7.4x
35	Marketing University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	74 67–77	$48,060/yr	Very High	16.0x
36	Plant Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	73 68–73	$58,787/yr	High	17.1x
37	Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	74 71–73	$42,543/yr	High	11.8x
38	Criminal Justice National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	71 69–71	$45,720/yr	Moderate	6.8x
39	Kinesiology & Exercise Science Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	69 67–68	$40,123/yr	Moderate	14.2x
40	Construction Engineering Technologies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	74 69–76	$77,949/yr	Very High	18.9x
41	Kinesiology & Exercise Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	69 67–68	$41,019/yr	Moderate	13.4x
42	Nursing (RN/BSN) Augustana University · Sioux Falls, SD	72 66–70	$72,237/yr	High	3.9x
43	Nursing (RN/BSN) Dakota Wesleyan University · Mitchell, SD	72 66–71	$67,981/yr	High	5.0x
44	Health Administration National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	71 65–72	$45,392/yr	High	7.4x
45	Mining Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	73 67–74	$90,514/yr	High	20.8x
46	Industrial Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	73 68–73	$70,216/yr	High	17.8x
47	Agricultural Mechanization South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	66 64–67	$47,492/yr	Moderate	18.2x
48	Business Administration Augustana University · Sioux Falls, SD	70 64–72	$50,516/yr	High	3.4x
49	Nursing (RN/BSN) Mount Marty University · Yankton, SD	70 66–69	$66,183/yr	High	4.0x
50	Computer & Information Science National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	72 61–73	$52,129/yr	Very High	8.9x
51	Chemical Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	71 65–73	$72,785/yr	High	23.6x
52	Mechanical Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	71 65–73	$69,667/yr	Very High	20.5x
53	Civil Engineering South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	72 66–73	$69,129/yr	High	19.9x
54	Mechanical Engineering South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	72 65–73	$67,791/yr	Very High	22.0x
55	Human Development & Family Studies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	68 66–69	$37,123/yr	High	12.2x
56	Business Administration University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	70 64–72	$44,301/yr	High	6.4x
57	Marketing Northern State University · Aberdeen, SD	72 67–71	$45,891/yr	Very High	12.3x
58	Civil Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	71 65–71	$68,755/yr	High	17.5x
59	Mental Health & Counseling University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	70 69–67	$41,191/yr	Moderate	11.1x
60	Electrical Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	72 65–73	$73,551/yr	Very High	16.7x
61	Metallurgical Engineering South Dakota School of Mines and Technology · Rapid City, SD	70 64–70	$71,985/yr	High	16.3x
62	Animal Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	65 61–66	$44,844/yr	High	14.2x
63	Hospitality Management South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	64 57–68	$32,512/yr	High	13.1x
64	Accounting University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	66 60–69	$49,325/yr	Very High	4.9x
65	Kinesiology & Exercise Science Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	62 60–61	$34,142/yr	Moderate	11.8x
66	Teacher Education (General) Mount Marty University · Yankton, SD	63 61–63	$45,760/yr	High	2.7x
67	Public Relations & Advertising South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	65 59–66	$39,795/yr	High	12.7x
68	Criminal Justice University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	64 60–64	$38,858/yr	Moderate	3.7x
69	Teacher Education (General) University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	61 59–62	$38,688/yr	High	4.7x
70	Teacher Education (General) Augustana University · Sioux Falls, SD	61 59–60	$44,290/yr	High	2.0x
71	Business Administration Mount Marty University · Yankton, SD	63 57–64	$39,625/yr	High	2.8x
72	Mathematics South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	65 57–67	$46,520/yr	Very High	14.4x
73	Liberal Arts & General Studies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	59 63–55	$43,563/yr	Low	12.0x
74	History South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	61 55–64	$33,135/yr	High	12.8x
75	Teacher Education (Subject-Specific) University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	63 59–64	$39,899/yr	High	3.8x
76	Special Education Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	61 58–61	$49,134/yr	High	12.6x
77	Political Science South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	60 54–64	$34,337/yr	Very High	12.6x
78	Sociology South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	62 59–62	$40,236/yr	High	11.3x
79	Accounting National American University-Rapid City · Rapid City, SD	59 51–63	$35,820/yr	Very High	7.7x
80	Business Economics South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	64 59–64	$45,123/yr	Very High	11.1x
81	Biology South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	57 50–61	$32,940/yr	High	14.7x
82	Psychology South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	60 54–61	$35,425/yr	High	12.0x
83	Design & Applied Arts South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	57 54–59	$35,944/yr	High	12.6x
84	Political Science University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	57 51–62	$31,973/yr	Very High	12.5x
85	Health Sciences University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	59 53–59	$44,109/yr	High	14.1x
86	Liberal Arts & General Studies Dakota State University · Madison, SD	57 61–52	$41,119/yr	Low	9.7x
87	Kinesiology & Exercise Science University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	54 51–55	$34,839/yr	Moderate	5.9x
88	Special Education University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	58 56–57	$46,439/yr	High	11.5x
89	Biology University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	56 47–61	$30,167/yr	High	16.1x
90	Architecture South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	57 51–60	$41,781/yr	High	15.4x
91	Biology University of Sioux Falls · Sioux Falls, SD	57 53–58	$46,229/yr	High	4.6x
92	Psychology University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	57 49–60	$31,696/yr	High	12.6x
93	Political Science Augustana University · Sioux Falls, SD	57 52–58	$46,646/yr	Very High	2.3x
94	Agriculture South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	60 55–60	$49,781/yr	High	11.7x
95	Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	58 53–58	$44,891/yr	High	12.9x
96	History University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	55 49–58	$28,431/yr	High	10.7x
97	Psychology Black Hills State University · Spearfish, SD	59 55–57	$35,996/yr	High	9.1x
98	Communications & Media Studies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	55 50–57	$39,173/yr	High	11.1x
99	Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies South Dakota State University · Brookings, SD	59 56–59	$45,770/yr	High	11.3x
100	Communications & Media Studies University of South Dakota · Vermillion, SD	53 46–57	$35,792/yr	High	12.9x

Methodology

This ranking includes the top 100 programs at South Dakota colleges and universities, drawn from 114 total programs with earnings data. Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score (0–100), which combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and tuition ROI.

Only in-state tuition is used for ROI calculations. Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best college program in South Dakota?

By DegreeWorth Score, Computer & Information Science at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranks #1 in South Dakota with a score of 89/100 and graduate earnings of $78,193/yr.

How many college programs are in South Dakota?

Our database includes 114 programs across South Dakota colleges with reported earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.