Best Community Colleges in South Dakota 2023
The best community colleges provide an effective springboard into higher education, offering students high-quality two-year degree programs in a wide range of disciplines. The top-rated community colleges in South Dakota offer a broad selection of associate’s degrees, affordable tuition rates, and strong partnerships with public four-year schools so that students can easily transfer their credits into accredited bachelor’s degree programs.
Best Community Colleges in South Dakota
Colleges and Universities in South Dakota
Almost 20 higher education institutions award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the state, and only two schools exceed 5,000 in student population. The average college tuition in the state is $8,450, which is under the national average. Of the 11 public institutions, South Dakota State University is the largest with just over 10,000 students, and it has a tuition of $9,000.
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With a comparable tuition, the University of South Dakota is the second largest and located in Vermillion. Students can earn degrees in areas such as earth science, physics, and engineering. Eight private schools offer degrees ranging in tuition from $3,000 to $33,000. Many of these universities are religiously affiliated, Augustana University being the largest and most expensive. This Lutheran university is located in Sioux Falls and offers programs in economics, psychology, and biology. The most affordable colleges, Oglala Lakota College and Sinte Gleska University, are both tribal institutions charging $3,000 in fees.
Two monuments are carved into the rock of the Black Hills: Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse Memorial. In addition to its majestic mountains, South Dakota’s lands are some of the richest in fossils. Badlands National Park is home to unique rock formations as well as the fossils of saber-toothed cats, three-toed horses, and ancient marine animals. With vast plains and unique mountains, South Dakota offers a stunning setting for students looking to earn their degree in The Mount Rushmore State.
Find out more about the top programs and higher education opportunities available in South Dakota.
What are South Dakota’s Colleges & Universities?
- 2 Research Universities
- 8 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 4 Graduate Schools
- 5 Public Colleges & Universities
- 5 Private Colleges & Universities
- 4 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 8 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 6 Affordable Colleges (below $20,000/year)
- 6 Community Colleges
- Best Online Colleges
South Dakota’s Best Overall
We’ve identified 6 community colleges in South Dakota. The following list shows the best community colleges and primarily associate degree granting colleges in South Dakota.
Best Community Colleges in South Dakota
Tuition + fees
$3K
Student body
<1K
What is Sinte Gleska University known for?
Sinte Gleska University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Graduation
74%
Student body
2K
What is Lake Area Technical College known for?
Lake Area Technical College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Graduation
9%
Student body
<1K
What is Oglala Lakota College known for?
Oglala Lakota College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Most Influential Alumni
Tuition + fees
$5K
Graduation
23%
Student body
<1K
What is Sisseton Wahpeton College known for?
Sisseton Wahpeton College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
52%
Student body
<1K
Tuition + fees
$8K
Graduation
75%
Student body
1K
What is Mitchell Technical College known for?
2021 Ranking Archive
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
