2025’s Best Colleges in South Dakota

UNDATED – With the first “early decision” college-application deadline looming on November 1, and tuition plus room and board at a four-year college costing $28,000 – $60,000 per year, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its reports on 2025’s Best College & University Rankings, to help college-bound seniors make the most informed school choices.

WalletHub compared over 800 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratios to graduation rates to salaries after graduation.

Top 8 Colleges & Universities in South Dakota

1. Augustana University 5. Northern State University
2. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 6. South Dakota State University
3. Dakota Wesleyan University 7. Dakota State University
4. University of South Dakota 8. Black Hills State University
   

With that in mind, here’s a closer look at some of the top schools and how each performed in certain metrics:

School Snapshot: Augustana University (1 = Best):

  • 1st – Admission Rate
  • 8th – Net Cost
  • 1st – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 8th – On-Campus Crime
  • 1st – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 1st – Graduation Rate
  • 2nd – Post-Attendance Median Salary

School Snapshot: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (1 = Best):

  • 3rd – Admission Rate
  • 6th – Net Cost
  • 1st – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 6th – On-Campus Crime
  • 8th – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 4th – Graduation Rate
  • 1st – Post-Attendance Median Salary

School Snapshot: Dakota Wesleyan University (1 = Best):

  • 2nd – Admission Rate
  • 7th – Net Cost
  • 1st – Student-Faculty Ratio
  • 3rd – On-Campus Crime
  • 2nd – Gender & Racial Diversity
  • 7th – Graduation Rate
  • 4th – Post-Attendance Median Salary

To view the full reports, please visit: 

Best Colleges & Universities Overall: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/college-rankings/40750

Best Colleges: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-colleges-in-the-us-ranking/40748

Best Universities: https://wallethub.com/edu/e/best-universities-in-usa-ranking/39704

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