South Dakota Trade Schools: Cost, Completion & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Trade schools in South Dakota: 11 trade and vocational campuses (4 trade schools, 7 community colleges) median net price $13,840 (+2.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $31,694 (-9.7% vs U.S.) median completion rate 76.3% employment-outcome proxy 85.8% working & not enrolled at 8 years.
Overview
Trade schools and vocational programs in South Dakota include certificate-focused campuses and community colleges with career and technical education pathways. 11 campuses in this profile (4 trade schools, 7 community colleges), with about 7,950 students enrolled, and median net price near $13,840. Programs span healthcare, skilled trades, manufacturing, and other workforce credentials—tables below compare completion, earnings, and employment outcomes with U.S. and Plains medians.
South Dakota vs regional & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota (SD) | — | $13,840 | $12,000 | 76.3% | 7,950 |
| Plains (region median) | — | $13,332 | $10,250 | 57.9% | 276,411 |
| United States | — | $13,448 | $9,792 | 61.5% | 5,468,807 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: South Dakota vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota (SD) | $31,694 | 85.8% | 81.0% | 8.9% | — | 70.6% | 0.26 |
| United States | $35,086 | 81.0% | 65.2% | 11.1% | — | 50.5% | 0.28 |
South Dakota vs peer states (Plains region)
Peer states are other campuses in the same Scorecard region, chosen by similar total enrollment.
| State | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota (SD) | N/A | $13,840 | $12,000 | 76.3% | 7,950 | $31,694 | 85.8% |
| North Dakota (ND) | N/A | $10,766 | $10,507 | 57.4% | 7,940 | $31,788 | 86.3% |
| Nebraska (NE) | N/A | $10,125 | $9,995 | 57.9% | 24,495 | $38,751 | 86.0% |
| Iowa (IA) | N/A | $13,566 | $10,250 | 62.8% | 45,016 | $39,060 | 87.5% |
| Kansas (KS) | N/A | $11,070 | $9,339 | 55.1% | 47,115 | $40,059 | 87.3% |
| United States | N/A | $13,448 | $9,792 | 61.5% | 5,468,807 | $35,086 | 81.0% |
Outcomes by sector in South Dakota
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private for-profit | 3 | $29,547 | 85.5% | N/A | 9.8% | — | 60.9% |
| Public | 7 | $40,240 | 87.4% | 81.0% | 7.5% | — | 77.9% |
Top 7 trade schools in South Dakota by completion rate (150% time, certificate programs)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate among trade schools and community colleges in this profile (enrollment ≥ 50). Source: College Scorecard.
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Rank 1, Completion Rate, 87.6%, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 2, Completion Rate, 87.5%, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 3, Completion Rate, 79.3%, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 4, Completion Rate, 76.3%, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 5, Completion Rate, 73.1%, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 6, Completion Rate, 58.8%, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 7, Completion Rate, 54.2%, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
Top 10 trade schools in South Dakota by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.2%, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 93.1%, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 92.2%, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 87.4%, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, Employment Outcome, 86.1%, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 6, Employment Outcome, 85.5%, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 7, Employment Outcome, 85.0%, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 8, Employment Outcome, 75.2%, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 9, Employment Outcome, 71.9%, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
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Rank 10, Employment Outcome, 67.1%, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
Top 10 trade schools in South Dakota by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $47,849, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,659, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,427, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,971, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, Mid-Career Earnings, $28,339, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 6, Mid-Career Earnings, $25,321, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 7, Mid-Career Earnings, $23,940, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 8, Mid-Career Earnings, $22,585, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 9, Mid-Career Earnings, $20,536, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
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Rank 10, Mid-Career Earnings, $15,889, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
Top 10 trade schools in South Dakota by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $47,285, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,398, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $45,724, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,962, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,702, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 6, 8-Yr Earnings, $28,455, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 7, 8-Yr Earnings, $25,218, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
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Rank 8, 8-Yr Earnings, $25,044, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 9, 8-Yr Earnings, $24,506, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 10, 8-Yr Earnings, $21,526, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
Top 10 trade schools in South Dakota by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
None
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $50,743, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,709, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $45,473, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,240, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,843, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 6, 10-Yr Earnings, $31,546, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr Earnings, $29,547, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 8, 10-Yr Earnings, $23,641, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 9, 10-Yr Earnings, $22,517, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr Earnings, $20,948, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
Top 10 trade schools in South Dakota by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year ROI among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $202,078, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $177,209, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $175,800, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $153,730, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $141,456, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 6, 10-Yr ROI, $131,208, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 7, 10-Yr ROI, $108,592, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
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Rank 8, 10-Yr ROI, $104,309, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 9, 10-Yr ROI, $101,946, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
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Rank 10, 10-Yr ROI, $67,388, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
Top 10 most affordable trade schools in South Dakota (net price)
Lowest median net price among trade schools and community colleges with enrollment ≥ 50.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $2,977, Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College
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Rank 2, Net Price, $1,895, Oglala Lakota College
Oglala Lakota College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $13,460, Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Technical College
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Rank 4, Net Price, $12,670, Western Dakota Technical College
Western Dakota Technical College
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Rank 5, Net Price, $15,979, Lake Area Technical College
Lake Area Technical College
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Rank 6, Net Price, $14,221, Stewart School
Stewart School
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Rank 7, Net Price, $12,768, Sinte Gleska University
Sinte Gleska University
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Rank 8, Net Price, $17,400, Southeast Technical College
Southeast Technical College
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Rank 9, Net Price, $18,146, The Salon Professional Academy
The Salon Professional Academy
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Rank 10, Net Price, $19,694, Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City
Student debt: South Dakota vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in South Dakota is $12,000 (+22.6% vs U.S. median $9,792). Regional median: $10,250. Rank: #50 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #7 in Plains of 7.
Median earnings (10 years out): South Dakota vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in South Dakota center around $31,694 (-9.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: South Dakota vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 85.8% at the median South Dakota campus (+4.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Median graduate debt is $12,000 (+22.6% above the U.S. median of $9,792, and +17.1% vs the Plains regional median of $10,250). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Student debt rank: #50 nationally of 58 (lower debt = better rank); #7 in Plains of 7 (1 = lowest median debt).
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in South Dakota are $31,694, about -9.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($35,086).
The median campus reports 85.8% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 81.0% (+4.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 81.0% vs a U.S. median of 65.2%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 8.9% (U.S. 11.1%); 3-yr repayment progress 70.6% (U.S. 50.5%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Nationally, South Dakota ranks earnings #41 and employment proxy #7 on these outcome medians (1 = best).
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Lake Area Technical College (93.2%), Mitchell Technical College (93.1%), Southeast Technical College (92.2%), Western Dakota Technical College (87.4%), Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City (86.1%), Stewart School (85.5%), The Salon Professional Academy (85.0%), Sisseton Wahpeton College (75.2%), Oglala Lakota College (71.9%), Sinte Gleska University (67.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within South Dakota, sector medians diverge: Private for-profit median 10-yr earnings $29,547 (3 campuses); Public median 10-yr earnings $40,240 (7 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in South Dakota is 76.3% (national institution average about 61.5%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do trade schools cost in South Dakota?
Among trade schools and community colleges in South Dakota, median net price is $13,840 vs $13,448 nationally (+2.9% vs U.S.).
What is typical student debt at South Dakota trade schools?
Median federal loan debt among completers at trade and vocational campuses in South Dakota is $12,000 vs a U.S. median of $9,792 (South Dakota ranks #50 nationally for median debt among states.)
What do trade school graduates earn in South Dakota?
Median earnings 10 years after entry for South Dakota trade schools and community colleges reporting to the College Scorecard is $31,694 vs $35,086 nationally. Six-year medians are $26,830.
What share of South Dakota trade school students are working after completion?
The federal employment-outcome proxy on this site (8-year cohort working and not enrolled) has a median of 85.8% in South Dakota vs 81.0% nationally.
How many trade schools are in South Dakota?
This profile covers 4 trade schools and 7 community colleges (11 total) in South Dakota with roughly 7,950 total reported enrollment.
How many public vs. private trade schools are in South Dakota?
Among trade schools and community colleges with outcomes in the College Scorecard extract: 7 public, 0 private nonprofit, and 3 private for-profit institutions.
What are the top trade schools in South Dakota?
Rankings on this page use College Scorecard medians for trade schools and community colleges; standouts include highest completion rate: Stewart School; highest 10-year earnings: Mitchell Technical College; lowest net price among large campuses: Sisseton Wahpeton College. See the ranked lists below for full details.
Are there Hispanic-serving or other designated trade schools in South Dakota?
Among 24 campuses in South Dakota, 3 tribal colleges (IPEDS TRIBAL flag), including Oglala Lakota College, Sinte Gleska University, and Sisseton Wahpeton College; 5 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Evangelical Lutheran Church (1), United Methodist (1), Roman Catholic (1).
How does South Dakota compare to its Census region for trade schools?
South Dakota is in the Plains region. Regional median net price is $13,332 and median 10-year earnings are $38,729 vs $13,840 net price and $31,694 earnings in South Dakota.
Sources & related
- All trade school profiles
- South Dakota college profile
- Trade school costs by state
- Trade schools and public community colleges (College Scorecard)
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON