Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton, SD 57262
About Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College is a public community college in Sisseton, South Dakota, enrolling about 194 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $2,977 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $4,330. Student demographics in federal data include American Indian or Alaska Native (93.8%) and Black or African American (2.6%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Sisseton Wahpeton College charges 21% below the national public median tuition ($4,330).
- Versus the South Dakota median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
- Average net price runs below the South Dakota median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 20.59%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $31,546.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Sisseton Wahpeton College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 2549% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sisseton Wahpeton College | $4,330 | $2,977 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| South Dakota (state median) | $8,845 | $15,911 | 19 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 31% below published tuition at Sisseton Wahpeton College
Key findings
- Sisseton Wahpeton College's average net price ($2,977) is 31% below published tuition ($4,330).
- Sisseton Wahpeton College charges 21% below the national public median tuition ($4,330).
- Versus the South Dakota median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
- Average net price runs below the South Dakota median net price.
Sisseton Wahpeton College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $4,330
Finding Sisseton Wahpeton College charges 21% below the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $4,330. That is 21% below the national public median ($5,512). Versus the South Dakota median ($8,845), sticker tuition is about 0.5×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.4×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Sisseton Wahpeton College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Sisseton Wahpeton College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Sisseton Wahpeton College is $2,977.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $2,977 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $12,934 below the South Dakota median net price.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Sisseton Wahpeton College’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 31% lower after grants and scholarships.
Sisseton Wahpeton College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Sisseton Wahpeton College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$4,330
Avg. net price
$2,977
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $590 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $5,909 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $5,315 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $7,871 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $17,320. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Sisseton Wahpeton College is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General15
- Behavioral Sciences9
- American Indian/Native American Studies4
- Computer Graphics3
- American Indian/Native American Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics3
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Sisseton Wahpeton College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Sisseton Wahpeton College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Sisseton Wahpeton College.
Campus
Location
Sisseton, SD
City / state
- ZIP
- 57262
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Not classified (other)
Size
Enrollment
194
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 377
- Full-time share
- 75%
Student aid
Debt & aid
- Pell grant share
- 64.19%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Sisseton Wahpeton College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Sisseton Wahpeton College was not reported in the College Scorecard extract for this institution.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Sisseton Wahpeton College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $7,303 |
| 2014 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $8,505 |
| 2015 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $8,671 |
| 2016 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $6,939 |
| 2017 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $8,979 |
| 2018 | $4,410 | $4,410 | $6,649 |
| 2019 | $4,510 | $4,510 | $6,547 |
| 2020 | $4,510 | $4,510 | $2,507 |
| 2021 | $4,510 | $4,510 | $2,266 |
| 2022 | $4,330 | $4,330 | $4,689 |
| 2023 | $4,330 | $4,330 | $3,050 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Sisseton Wahpeton College reported total enrollment of about 194 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 37% male and 63% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes American Indian or Alaska Native (93.8%), Black or African American (2.6%), and White (1.6%). About 64.19% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 52.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
74.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Sisseton Wahpeton College in 2024 is 194 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 377 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
N/A%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
0.00% 100% Completion Time
20.59% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 0.00% of students graduating from Sisseton Wahpeton College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 40% male / 60% female
- Behavioral Sciences: 22% male / 78% female
- American Indian/Native American Studies: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Sisseton Wahpeton College graduates earn a median of $31,546 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Sisseton Wahpeton College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $31,546. Average net price used in cost models: $2,977.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Sisseton Wahpeton College graduates report median earnings of $31,546 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Sisseton Wahpeton College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (15 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Sisseton Wahpeton College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Sisseton Wahpeton College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Sisseton Wahpeton College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$1.1M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- South Dakota median 0.03× the median ($34M)
- Plains median 0.05× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 0.04× the median ($26.4M)
- South Dakota median 0.32× the median ($25,074)
- Plains median 0.53× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 0.66× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 50.0%
- South Dakota median 15.7 pp below median (65.7%)
- Plains median 14.7 pp below median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 8.0 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,422
- South Dakota median 0.89× the median ($7,234)
- Plains median 0.89× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median 0.84× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $7,404
- South Dakota median near the median ($7,480)
- Plains median 0.91× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Sisseton Wahpeton College at a glance
Sisseton Wahpeton College
Sisseton Wahpeton College is a public institution in Sisseton, SD, classified as Not classified (other).
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralBehavioral SciencesAmerican Indian/Native American Studies
- Largest enrollment groups
- American Indian or Alaska Native93.8%Black or African American2.6%White or Caucasian1.6%
Schools near Sisseton Wahpeton College
Other campuses in Sisseton, SD when available, plus nearby institutions in South Dakota.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within South Dakota, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sisseton Wahpeton College located?
Sisseton Wahpeton College is located in Sisseton, SD.
What is Sisseton Wahpeton College's tuition?
Sisseton Wahpeton College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $4,330 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $2,977 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Sisseton Wahpeton College cost?
Reported tuition is $4,330 and average net price is $2,977 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $3,500 annually.
Why is Sisseton Wahpeton College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Sisseton Wahpeton College, published tuition is $4,330 while average net price is $2,977—about 31% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Sisseton Wahpeton College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($2,977), completion (20.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($31,546). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Sisseton Wahpeton College?
Sisseton Wahpeton College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 377 students, American Indian or Alaska Native (93.8%), Black or African American (2.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Sisseton Wahpeton College?
About 52.1% of students at Sisseton Wahpeton College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Sisseton Wahpeton College earn?
Median earnings are $23,940 six years after entry and $31,546 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Sisseton Wahpeton College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 20.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
Is Sisseton Wahpeton College public or private?
Sisseton Wahpeton College is a public institution located in Sisseton, SD.
Is Sisseton Wahpeton College an HBCU?
No. Sisseton Wahpeton College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Sisseton Wahpeton College a tribal college?
Yes. Sisseton Wahpeton College is flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS (TRIBAL = Yes).
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.