# Best Online Colleges in South Dakota

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-06-07 | Schools: 14 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-online-colleges-south-dakota

## Methodology

Online programs in South Dakota ranked by outcomes and value

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Mitchell Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mitchell-technical-college) | Mitchell, SD | 74% | $50,743 | $13,460 | $12,000 | 0.24x |
| 2 | [Lake Area Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lake-area-technical-college) | Watertown, SD | 69% | $45,473 | $15,979 | $12,000 | 0.26x |
| 3 | [University of Sioux Falls](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-sioux-falls) | Sioux Falls, SD | 62% | $54,521 | $21,383 | $23,249 | 0.43x |
| 4 | [Southeast Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeast-technical-college) | Sioux Falls, SD | 56% | $46,709 | $17,400 | $12,000 | 0.26x |
| 5 | [University of South Dakota](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-dakota) | Vermillion, SD | 61% | $51,926 | $19,858 | $23,592 | 0.45x |
| 6 | [Mount Marty University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mount-marty-university) | Yankton, SD | 56% | $48,179 | $22,227 | $26,396 | 0.55x |
| 7 | [Western Dakota Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-dakota-technical-college) | Rapid City, SD | 54% | $40,240 | $12,670 | $15,000 | 0.37x |
| 8 | [South Dakota School of Mines and Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology) | Rapid City, SD | 56% | $72,257 | $20,183 | $27,000 | 0.37x |
| 9 | [Augustana University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/augustana-university) | Sioux Falls, SD | 74% | $59,217 | $23,894 | $25,000 | 0.42x |
| 10 | [South Dakota State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-dakota-state-university) | Brookings, SD | 61% | $55,070 | $19,841 | $23,250 | 0.42x |
| 11 | [Northern State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northern-state-university) | Aberdeen, SD | 51% | $47,618 | $15,812 | $22,320 | 0.47x |
| 12 | [Dakota State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dakota-state-university) | Madison, SD | 50% | $50,970 | $21,057 | $23,500 | 0.46x |
| 13 | [Dakota Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/dakota-wesleyan-university) | Mitchell, SD | 47% | $53,728 | $19,735 | $27,000 | 0.5x |
| 14 | [Black Hills State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/black-hills-state-university) | Spearfish, SD | 40% | $46,674 | $15,911 | $26,000 | 0.56x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Online Colleges in South Dakota." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-06-07. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-online-colleges-south-dakota

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.