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Oglala Lakota College

Public Kyle, SD · Rural · Plains · 73% data
A+ Diversity A+ Affordability A+ Value
Graduation Rate
10% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$22,517 F
Below average for college graduates
Net Price
$1,895 A+
89% less than the typical college
Enrollment
1,097
Earnings -45% vs avg
Graduation -82% vs avg
Net Price +-89% vs avg

Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 65.9× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $65.9 over 20 years.

65.9× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $65.9 over 20 years. Net gain: $491,904.

What The Data Says

  1. A C+ overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduate earnings fall 45% below the national college median.

  3. Graduation of 10% — 82% below the national average.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $65.9 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

About Oglala Lakota College

Oglala Lakota College is profiled below with full outcomes data from federal sources.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public Community College
Carnegie Class
Tribal College
Enrollment
1,097
Setting
Rural
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Education, Computer Science & IT, Health Professions

Why students choose Oglala Lakota College

Outstanding value
Low net price against strong graduate earnings
Strength in Business & Marketing
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C+
Top 42% overall
F
Earnings
$22,517 median
A+
Value
11.9× net price
A+
Affordability
$1,895/yr net
F
Graduation
10% graduate
A+
Diversity
1.00 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Oglala Lakota College is a solid choice for students looking to make an impact in their communities, especially those interested in fields like Business & Marketing, Education, Legal Studies, Health Professions, and Computer Science & IT. With an enrollment of about 1,100, it offers a close-knit environment where students can engage deeply with their studies and peers. The college is particularly appealing to those who want a culturally relevant education that reflects their heritage and values.

Looking at what happens after graduation, students earn an average of $22,517 a year within a decade of completing their degree. While the graduation rate is notably low at 10%, it’s essential to consider that many students are balancing life’s challenges alongside their education. The affordability of attending Oglala Lakota College is evident in the net price of just $1,895, which makes it a practical option for those who might be concerned about student debt. Almost half of the students receive Pell Grants, indicating a commitment to supporting low-income learners.

When it comes to the financial aspects, the cost of attending Oglala Lakota College is manageable, especially after financial aid. Without the burden of significant debt, students can focus on their career paths and personal growth. This environment tends to attract individuals who are motivated, community-oriented, and ready to take on the challenges of higher education while staying connected to their roots. In short, it’s a place where students can thrive while pursuing their aspirations.

Can I Get In?

How selective Oglala Lakota College is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Oglala Lakota College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Kyle, South Dakota, Oglala Lakota College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 10%.

Retention Rate
62%
Full-Time Faculty
61%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$6,957
Student–Faculty Ratio
10:1
Diversity Index
1.00
First-Gen Students
39%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Oglala Lakota College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Oglala Lakota College is $2,684, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $1,895. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,422 after need-based grants.

In-State Tuition
$2,684
Out-of-State
$2,684
Avg Net Price
$1,895
Pell Grant Rate
47%
Federal Loan Rate
0%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$1,422
Family Income $30K–$48K
$219
Family Income $48K–$75K
$5,542

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Oglala Lakota College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Oglala Lakota College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Oglala Lakota College report median earnings of $22,517, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$20,536
8 Years
$21,526
10 Years
$22,517
Earning > $25K
27%

Earnings Trajectory

$20,536 6yr $21,526 8yr $22,517 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

How Oglala Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation10%Earnings 10yr$23KNet Price$2KRetention62%Pell Grant Rate47%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$1K$0-30K$0K$30-48K$6K$48-75K

College ROI Calculator

Is Oglala Lakota College Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Oglala Lakota College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $1,895/year ($7,580 total). Graduates earn $22,517 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $499,484 in total earnings — a net gain of $491,904 (65.9× your investment).. With a 10% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$7,580
Projected 20yr Earnings
$499,484
Net Return
$491,904
ROI Multiple
65.9×
Cost Per Year
$1,895
Graduation Rate
10%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Oglala Lakota College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Oglala Lakota College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.36, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.11), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.36
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.11
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
11.0%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-7,115,228

Top Programs

The fields Oglala Lakota College awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Oglala Lakota College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Kyle, South Dakota, Oglala Lakota College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 10%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Oglala Lakota College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Oglala Lakota College is $2,684, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $1,895. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $1,422 after need-based grants.

Is Oglala Lakota College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Oglala Lakota College report median earnings of $22,517, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

How Connected Is Oglala Lakota College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs below average at Oglala Lakota College. Its economic connectedness score is 0.36, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.11), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Oglala Lakota College.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

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