Best Research Universities in South Dakota 2024

Badge for BEST IN SOUTH DAKOTA RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES

Interested in attending a STEM school in South Dakota? Our ranking of top research universities for bachelor’s degrees displays schools that will best prepare you for STEM careers.

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.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

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?

South Dakota’s Best Overall

Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges

South Dakota's Best Research Universities Badge
Download Badge

A research university is a great option for students interested in obtaining STEM degrees. Research universities invest heavily in research, which consequently provides meaningful and extensive opportunities for its students and faculty to participate in research. We’ve identified 2 research universities in South Dakota. To be included in our ranking, schools must be a fully accredited universities and must must offer doctoral degrees across the range of STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math).

Back to Top

Best Research Universities in South Dakota 2023

  1. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    99%

    Graduation

    57%

    Student body

    12K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1160/22

    Career Outlook for degree at University of South Dakota

    Cost of Degree: $9,432
    Expenses: $15,207
    Starting Salary: $49,500
    Cost Recoup Time: 10 years
    Paid back at 15% of annual salary
Back to Top

Find the Best Research Universities in South Dakota for Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

  1. University of South Dakota
  2. South Dakota State University

Check out our directory of research universities throughout the U.S. for a look at the top research institutions in every state.

Do you have a question about this topic? Ask it here