Federal data
Public four-year colleges in South Dakota by graduates' median earnings 4 years after
South Dakota public four-year colleges, ranked by median earnings four years after completion, from College Scorecard (September 18, 2026). At least 5 colleges must report this figure for this list to exist.
| Rank | School | City | Sector | Median earnings, 4 years after | Completions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | Rapid City | Public, 4-year | $87,878 | 502 |
| 2 | Dakota State University | Madison | Public, 4-year | $63,160 | 661 |
| 3 | South Dakota State University | Brookings | Public, 4-year | $63,042 | 2,594 |
| 4 | University of South Dakota | Vermillion | Public, 4-year | $62,334 | 2,106 |
| 5 | Northern State University | Aberdeen | Public, 4-year | $53,116 | 368 |
| 6 | Oglala Lakota College | Kyle | Public, 4-year | $52,386 | 212 |
| 7 | Sinte Gleska University | Mission | Public, 4-year | $51,797 | 81 |
| 8 | Black Hills State University | Spearfish | Public, 4-year | $48,243 | 459 |
Earnings cover federally aided graduates only, as published by College Scorecard, institution-wide rather than by one program.
How to read this. This is a whole-college figure across every program, not one program's graduates -- a college with mostly graduate or professional programs will show higher earnings than one that is mostly certificates. Completions shown alongside it are the latest IPEDS total on file.