2027 Best Value History Schools in South Dakota
[History](/majors/history/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 2 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for history students.
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2027 Best Value History Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in history, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value History Schools
Leading the list is Black Hills State University, our #1 best value for history in South Dakota. Located in the town of Spearfish, Black Hills State University is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $8,916 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,018 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for history graduates is $26,820. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from Black Hills State University generally make around $42,789. Set against $26,820 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 96%.
South Dakota State University came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value history schools. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. Students borrow a median of $26,977 to complete the history program here. History graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $33,135 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- 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.
