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Best Bachelor's Degree Schools in South Dakota

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2023 Best Bachelor's Degree Schools in South Dakota

8 Schools Ranked
$14,700 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$32,022 Avg Student Debt

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for students. Along with traditional schools that require in-person attendence, you can attend one of many reputable online schools. Some programs even offer a hybrid experience. Also, there are a number of trade schools and bootcamp with offerings that you might find attractive.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Course Advisor has developed this Best Bachelor's Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking. Our analysis looked at 8 schools in South Dakota to see which bachelor's degree programs offered the best educational experiences for students. To come up with a school's ranking, we analyzed numerous factors related to post-graduation wages, the quality of education offered by the school, average accumulated student debt, and more.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Bachelor's Degree Schools in South Dakota

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Augustana University

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
$35,914 Average Tuition & Fees
$26,115 Avg Student Debt

Our analysis found Augustana University to be the best school for students who want to pursue a bachelor’s degree in South Dakota.

The average tuition and fees at Augustana Sioux Falls is $35,914. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $26,115 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Full Augustana University Report

#2

Dakota State University

Madison, South Dakota
$9,633 Average Tuition & Fees
$28,863 Avg Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Dakota State University. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in South Dakota list.

Full-time students from South Dakota pay an average of $9,633 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Dakota State. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,735. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from Dakota State accumulate an average of $28,863 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Dakota State. During the 2019-2020 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full Dakota State University Report

#3

South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota
$9,299 Average Tuition & Fees
$24,563 Avg Student Debt

A rank of #3 on this year’s list means South Dakota State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.

Students from South Dakota who attend South Dakota State full time pay an average of $9,299 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,809. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from South Dakota State accumulate an average of $24,563 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

One thing to take note of is that South Dakota State does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2019-2020 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full South Dakota State University Report

#4

Northern State University

Aberdeen, South Dakota
$8,845 Average Tuition & Fees
$28,374 Avg Student Debt

A rank of #4 on this year’s list means Northern State University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree.

In-state students pay an average of $8,845 in tuition and fees if they attend NSU full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,947. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $28,374 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Online courses are available at NSU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2019-2020 year, about 66% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full Northern State University Report

#5

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota
$9,432 Average Tuition & Fees
$25,445 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of South Dakota. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools in South Dakota list.

In-state students pay an average of $9,432 in tuition and fees if they attend USD full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,942. By the time they get their bachelor’s degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $25,445 in student loans.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at USD. During the 2019-2020 year, about 65% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full University of South Dakota Report

#6

University of Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
$19,900 Average Tuition & Fees
$24,830 Avg Student Debt

University of Sioux Falls landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best bachelor’s degree programs.

The average tuition and fees at University of Sioux Falls is $19,900. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid. Bachelor’s Degree recipients from University of Sioux Falls accumulate an average of $24,830 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at University of Sioux Falls. In fact, around 51% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Full University of Sioux Falls Report

#8

Black Hills State University

Spearfish, South Dakota
$8,916 Average Tuition & Fees
$27,112 Avg Student Debt

With a ranking of #8, Black Hills State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working on their bachelor’s degree.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at BHSU is $8,916. Out-of-state students pay an average of $12,018. On average, bachelor’s degree students take out $27,112 in loans while pursuing their degree.

One thing to take note of is that BHSU does offer online classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 63% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

Best Bachelor's Degree Schools in the Plains States Region

View Best Bachelor’s Degree Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 8 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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