2026 Best Special Education Schools in South Dakota

Special Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. The schools below stand out for the quality of their special education programs.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for special education students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best Special Education Schools in South Dakota

Best Schools for Special Education in South Dakota

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the special education degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Special Education

1

Augustana College South Dakota
Sioux Falls, SD

32 Special Education Degrees Awarded

$50,088 Median Starting Salary

Augustana College South Dakota tops our 2026 ranking of the best special education schools. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, Augustana College South Dakota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 73%. There were roughly 32 special education students who graduated with this degree at Augustana College South Dakota in the most recent data year. Graduates of the special education program make about $50,088 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,217 to complete this degree. See the full special education program report for Augustana College South Dakota

2

Dakota State University
Madison, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

12 Special Education Degrees Awarded

$42,318 Median Starting Salary

Dakota State University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best special education schools. Dakota State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Madison. Dakota State University graduates 49% of students within six years. There were roughly 12 special education students who graduated with this degree at Dakota State University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from Dakota State University generally make around $42,318. Students borrow a median of $31,000 to complete this degree. Get the full special education details for Dakota State University

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 10 schools evaluated.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.