Southeast Technical College
#4 Best Colleges in South Dakota- Graduation Rate
- 56% C
- About half of students who start complete their degree
- Earnings (10yr)
- $46,709 C+
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $17,400 C
- Close to the national average
- Enrollment
- 2,310
Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 14.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $14.5 over 20 years. Ranked #4 in Best Colleges in South Dakota.
Every $1 spent returns $14.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $942,628.
What The Data Says
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A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $14.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Southeast Technical College Matters
Southeast Technical College is a public community college in Sioux Falls, SD and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Community College
- Carnegie Class
- Associate's College
- Enrollment
- 2,310
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Mechanic & Repair Tech
Why students choose Southeast Technical College
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
This school does not report a competitive admit rate — most qualified applicants are admitted.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $17,400 a year after grants and scholarships — 2% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $46,709 ten years after enrolling — 15% above the typical college, against $12,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.5% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 46% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.51 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
Southeast Technical College serves around 2,310 students and is ideal for those looking to enter fields like health professions, business and marketing, computer science, and mechanic repair. The college is particularly appealing to individuals seeking hands-on training and practical skills that lead directly to employment. A notable aspect of Southeast is its focus on programs that align closely with local workforce needs, which can make a significant difference for students entering the job market.
After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $46,709 within ten years. This number provides a solid benchmark for what graduates might achieve in terms of financial stability. Southeast Technical College manages to keep education affordable, with a net price of about $17,400 after aid. This financial landscape is crucial for many students, especially those who may have to take on debt to achieve their career goals.
In terms of financial burden, graduates leave with a median debt of $12,000, a manageable amount that many can pay off as they enter the workforce. The college's student body includes a significant portion of Pell Grant recipients, at 34%. Students who thrive here tend to be those who appreciate hands-on learning and are ready to dive into practical training. With a graduation rate of 56%, there's a solid foundation for students who are committed to completing their programs and moving into their chosen careers.
Rankings
Can I Get In?
How selective Southeast Technical College is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southeast Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Southeast Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
- Retention Rate
- 70%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 40%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $7,762
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.34
- First-Gen Students
- 33%
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 Southeast Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southeast Technical College is $7,650, 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 $17,400. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,418 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $7,650
- Out-of-State
- $7,650
- Avg Net Price
- $17,400
- Median Debt
- $12,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 34%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 54%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $14,418
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $15,221
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $17,079
- Family Income $110K+
- $20,254
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 Southeast Technical College — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Southeast Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southeast Technical College earn a median of $46,709, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $43,427
- 8 Years
- $46,398
- 10 Years
- $46,709
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.26x
- Earning > $25K
- 71%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (190)
- 41%
- 100% (190)
- 41%
- 100% (190)
- 41%
- 100% (190)
- 41%
How Southeast Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is Southeast Technical College Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Southeast Technical College delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,400/year ($69,600 total). Graduates earn $46,709 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,012,228 in total earnings — a net gain of $942,628 (14.5× your investment). The median debt is $12,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 56% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $69,600
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,012,228
- Net Return
- $942,628
- ROI Multiple
- 14.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $17,400
- Median Debt
- $12,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 56%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does Southeast Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Southeast Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.54%, well above the typical college. About 7.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 20.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $68,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.54%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 20.2%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 7.6%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $93,611
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Endowment
- $1,364,423
- Federal Grants
- $5,786,452
Top Programs
The fields Southeast Technical 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.
- Health Professions 41% $62,949 early-career
- Business & Marketing 15% $40,091 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 12% $52,040 early-career
- Mechanic & Repair Tech 8% $51,598 early-career
- Construction Trades 4% $46,501 early-career
- Precision Production 3% $47,206 early-career
- Criminal Justice 1% $45,495 early-career
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Southeast Technical College's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
- CPetroleum Engineer$135,690 · 2% growthResilient 72
- CSales Manager$135,160 · 4% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Southeast Technical College? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Southeast Technical College enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 56%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Southeast Technical College? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Southeast Technical College is $7,650, 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 $17,400. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,418 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $12,000 in federal student loans.
Is Southeast Technical College Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Southeast Technical College earn a median of $46,709, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does Southeast Technical College Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
Southeast Technical College is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.54%, well above the typical college. About 7.6% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 20.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $68,900, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is Southeast Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southeast Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Southeast Technical College.
- Lake Superior CollegeDuluth, MN · Close peer40% grad $46,449 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size
- Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD · Close peer69% grad $45,473 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Dakota County Technical CollegeRosemount, MN · Close peer52% grad $51,938 earnWhy: similar grad rate · similar size
- NHTI-Concord's Community CollegeConcord, NH · Close peer30% grad $48,943 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar size · similar net price
- Minnesota State Community and Technical CollegeFergus Falls, MN · Close peer47% grad $45,591 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Alexandria Technical & Community CollegeAlexandria, MN · Close peer60% grad $49,393 earnWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Southeast Technical College? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Southeast Technical College. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note