Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in South Dakota offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.
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.
Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges
A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified 8 liberal arts colleges in South Dakota. To be ranked among the best liberal arts colleges in South Dakota, schools must fully accredited institutions.
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
72%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1225/26
Augustana University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Graduation
19%
Student body
1K
National American University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
39%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/21
Black Hills State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Acceptance
84%
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1137/22
Dakota State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$9K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
45%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1085/22
Northern State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
92%
Graduation
58%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1150/22
University of Sioux Falls’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
44%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/21
Dakota Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
53%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
930/21
Mount Marty University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized 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.
