2026 Best Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Schools in South Dakota
Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for liberal arts / sciences & humanities students pursuing a degree.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities 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 liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities
University Of South Dakota is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities. This large public university is located in the town of Vermillion. About 60% of students finish within six years. There were roughly 60 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at University Of South Dakota in the most recent data year. Graduates of the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program make about $35,907 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $30,092.
See the full liberal arts / sciences & humanities program report for University Of South Dakota
South Dakota State University is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities, ranking #2. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. About 62% of students finish within six years. About 97 liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees were awarded at South Dakota State University in the most recent year. Graduates of the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program make about $32,134 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,866.
Read more about the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program at South Dakota State University
A rank of #3 makes Northern State University one of the top schools for liberal arts / sciences & humanities. This moderately-sized public university is located in the town of Aberdeen. Roughly 55% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 18 liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees were awarded at Northern State University in the most recent year. Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities graduates of Northern State University earn a median of $45,824 early in their careers. Northern State University graduates carry a median of $26,143 in student loans.
More information about a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities from Northern State University
Dakota State University is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in liberal arts / sciences & humanities, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the town of Madison, Dakota State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Dakota State University graduates 49% of students within six years. About 28 liberal arts / sciences & humanities degrees were awarded at Dakota State University in the most recent year. Students who receive their liberal arts / sciences & humanities degree from Dakota State University earn around $41,119 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $37,250.
Get the full liberal arts / sciences & humanities details for Dakota State University
Black Hills State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best liberal arts / sciences & humanities schools. Set in the town of Spearfish, Black Hills State University is a moderately-sized public institution. Black Hills State University graduates 43% of students within six years. There were roughly 33 liberal arts / sciences & humanities students who graduated with this degree at Black Hills State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program make about $42,789 in their early career. Black Hills State University graduates carry a median of $26,820 in student loans.
Read more about the liberal arts / sciences & humanities program at Black Hills State University
More Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 12 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.
