2026 Best Political Science Schools in South Dakota

Political Science programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools to find the best for political science students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Political Science Schools in South Dakota

Best Schools for Political Science in South Dakota

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall political science education in South Dakota.

Top Schools in Political Science

1

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

20 Political Science Degrees Awarded

$34,337 Median Starting Salary

South Dakota State University tops our 2026 ranking of the best political science schools. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. About 62% of students finish within six years. South Dakota State University awarded about 20 political science degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their political science degree from South Dakota State University earn around $34,337 in the first couple years of their career. South Dakota State University graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Get the full political science details for South Dakota State University

2

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

33 Political Science Degrees Awarded

$31,973 Median Starting Salary

A rank of #2 makes University Of South Dakota one of the top schools for political science. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. About 60% of students finish within six years. University Of South Dakota awarded about 33 political science degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the political science program make about $31,973 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree. Read more about the political science program at University Of South Dakota

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 · 6 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.