Federal data
Highest earning registered nursing programs in South Dakota
South Dakota registered nursing programs, ranked by median earnings one year after completion, from the College Scorecard field-of-study file (September 18, 2026). Only programs with at least 30 counted graduates in the earnings sample are shown, and at least 5 programs must qualify for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 1 year after | Graduates counted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Augustana University | Sioux Falls | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $72,237 | 104 |
| 2 | South Dakota State University | Brookings | Public, 4-year | $71,758 | 438 |
| 3 | University of South Dakota | Vermillion | Public, 4-year | $71,758 | 343 |
| 4 | University of Sioux Falls | Sioux Falls | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $70,622 | 119 |
| 5 | National American University-Rapid City | Rapid City | For-profit, 4-year | $69,890 | 98 |
| 6 | Dakota Wesleyan University | Mitchell | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $67,981 | 90 |
| 7 | Mount Marty University | Yankton | Private nonprofit, 4-year | $66,183 | 34 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard.
How to read this. A smaller program can show a high or low figure from just a few graduates, and this earnings figure only ever covers students who received federal aid, so it does not describe every graduate.
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