State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in South Dakota

Name: South Dakota College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Oglala Lakota College has the lowest average net price in South Dakota ($1,895); the widest sticker-to-net gap is at Augustana University, not necessarily the cheapest campus.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$1,895
Cheapest net price: $18,146
South Dakota median: 20
Schools ranked

Oglala Lakota College has the lowest average net price in South Dakota among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Oglala Lakota College posts the lowest average net price in South Dakota at $1,895 among 20 ranked schools, with the state median 6% above the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $1,895
South Dakota median: $18,146
Schools ranked: 20
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Oglala Lakota College has the lowest average net price in South Dakota at $1,895/year, and the state's median net price is 6% above the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$1,895
cheapest ranked net price: $18,146
South Dakota median net price: 13 public / 7 private
schools in this ranking: $12,926
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $12,926 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Augustana University, where in-state published tuition of $40,160 falls to an average net price of $23,894 after aid, a $16,266 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked South Dakota schools.

Across 20 ranked South Dakota schools, 13 are public and 7 are private. Sector sits beside every row because a low price at a specialty campus is not the same signal as a low price at a large public college.

Every ranked South Dakota school is listed below. Here is how their average net prices spread:

South Dakota net-price distribution

Average net price after aid · 20 Scorecard-reporting schools

$23,894 more affordable than 0% of 20 South Dakota colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $3K-wide band; taller bars hold more South Dakota colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

South Dakota's 20 cheapest colleges by real net price

Oglala Lakota CollegeKyle, SD · Public

Avg net price: $1,895
Net price (<$30K income): $1,422
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $20,536
Enrollment: 1,188

Sisseton Wahpeton CollegeSisseton, SD · Public

Avg net price: $2,977
Net price (<$30K income): $590
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $23,940
Enrollment: 206

Western Dakota Technical CollegeRapid City, SD · Public

Avg net price: $12,670
Net price (<$30K income): $10,071
Median debt: $15,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,971
Enrollment: 1,164

Sinte Gleska UniversityMission, SD · Public

Avg net price: $12,768
Net price (<$30K income): $11,728
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $15,889
Enrollment: 592

Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchell, SD · Public

Avg net price: $13,460
Net price (<$30K income): $9,750
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $47,849
Enrollment: 1,186

Stewart SchoolSioux Falls, SD · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $14,221
Net price (<$30K income): $11,333
Median debt: $6,864
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,339
Enrollment: 133

Northern State UniversityAberdeen, SD · Public

Avg net price: $15,812
Net price (<$30K income): $10,762
Median debt: $22,320
Median earnings, 6yr: $41,536
Enrollment: 3,708

Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, SD · Public

Avg net price: $15,911
Net price (<$30K income): $11,863
Median debt: $26,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $38,927
Enrollment: 3,346

Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD · Public

Avg net price: $15,979
Net price (<$30K income): $11,193
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,659
Enrollment: 2,312

Southeast Technical CollegeSioux Falls, SD · Public

Avg net price: $17,400
Net price (<$30K income): $14,418
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $43,427
Enrollment: 2,659

The Salon Professional AcademyRapid City, SD · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $18,146
Net price (<$30K income): $14,704
Median debt: $8,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $25,321
Enrollment: 80

Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid CityRapid City, SD · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $19,694
Net price (<$30K income): $17,122
Median debt: $7,917
Median earnings, 6yr: $22,585
Enrollment: 66

Dakota Wesleyan UniversityMitchell, SD · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $19,735
Net price (<$30K income): $15,251
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $49,432
Enrollment: 892

South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD · Public

Avg net price: $19,841
Net price (<$30K income): $14,266
Median debt: $23,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $49,564
Enrollment: 12,056

University of South DakotaVermillion, SD · Public

Avg net price: $19,858
Net price (<$30K income): $14,921
Median debt: $23,592
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,290
Enrollment: 10,619

South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD · Public

Avg net price: $20,183
Net price (<$30K income): $15,348
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $62,863
Enrollment: 2,576

Dakota State UniversityMadison, SD · Public

Avg net price: $21,057
Net price (<$30K income): $17,317
Median debt: $23,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,146
Enrollment: 3,774

University of Sioux FallsSioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $21,383
Net price (<$30K income): $18,145
Median debt: $23,249
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,712
Enrollment: 1,450

Mount Marty UniversityYankton, SD · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $22,227
Net price (<$30K income): $19,564
Median debt: $26,396
Median earnings, 6yr: $46,984
Enrollment: 1,284

Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $23,894
Net price (<$30K income): $18,746
Median debt: $25,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $49,826
Enrollment: 2,390

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Oglala Lakota CollegeKyle, SD · Public	$1,895	$1,422	-	$20,536	1,188
2	Sisseton Wahpeton CollegeSisseton, SD · Public	$2,977	$590	-	$23,940	206
3	Western Dakota Technical CollegeRapid City, SD · Public	$12,670	$10,071	$15,000	$36,971	1,164
4	Sinte Gleska UniversityMission, SD · Public	$12,768	$11,728	-	$15,889	592
5	Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchell, SD · Public	$13,460	$9,750	$12,000	$47,849	1,186
6	Stewart SchoolSioux Falls, SD · Private for-profit	$14,221	$11,333	$6,864	$28,339	133
7	Northern State UniversityAberdeen, SD · Public	$15,812	$10,762	$22,320	$41,536	3,708
8	Black Hills State UniversitySpearfish, SD · Public	$15,911	$11,863	$26,000	$38,927	3,346
9	Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD · Public	$15,979	$11,193	$12,000	$43,659	2,312
10	Southeast Technical CollegeSioux Falls, SD · Public	$17,400	$14,418	$12,000	$43,427	2,659
11	The Salon Professional AcademyRapid City, SD · Private for-profit	$18,146	$14,704	$8,500	$25,321	80
12	Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid CityRapid City, SD · Private for-profit	$19,694	$17,122	$7,917	$22,585	66
13	Dakota Wesleyan UniversityMitchell, SD · Private nonprofit	$19,735	$15,251	$27,000	$49,432	892
14	South Dakota State UniversityBrookings, SD · Public	$19,841	$14,266	$23,250	$49,564	12,056
15	University of South DakotaVermillion, SD · Public	$19,858	$14,921	$23,592	$46,290	10,619
16	South Dakota School of Mines and TechnologyRapid City, SD · Public	$20,183	$15,348	$27,000	$62,863	2,576
17	Dakota State UniversityMadison, SD · Public	$21,057	$17,317	$23,500	$46,146	3,774
18	University of Sioux FallsSioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit	$21,383	$18,145	$23,249	$46,712	1,450
19	Mount Marty UniversityYankton, SD · Private nonprofit	$22,227	$19,564	$26,396	$46,984	1,284
20	Augustana UniversitySioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit	$23,894	$18,746	$25,000	$49,826	2,390

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What this means for you

Use South Dakota's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Oglala Lakota College reports the lowest average net price in South Dakota, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Oglala Lakota College
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. South Dakota safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 20 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for South Dakota. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

South Dakota's 20 cheapest colleges by real net price

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