2026 Best Political Science & Government Schools in South Dakota

Political Science & Government is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools to find the best for political science & government students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Political Science & Government Schools in South Dakota

Best Schools for Political Science & Government 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 political science & government degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Political Science & Government

1

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

20 Political Science & Government Degrees Awarded

$34,337 Median Starting Salary

South Dakota State University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in political science & government. South Dakota State University is a large public school located in the town of Brookings. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. There were roughly 20 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at South Dakota State University in the most recent data year. Graduates of the political science & government program make about $34,337 in their early career. South Dakota State University graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Get the full political science & government details for South Dakota State University

2

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

33 Political Science & Government Degrees Awarded

$31,973 Median Starting Salary

University Of South Dakota is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in political science & government, ranking #2. Set in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public institution. University Of South Dakota graduates 60% of students within six years. There were roughly 33 political science & government students who graduated with this degree at University Of South Dakota in the most recent data year. Political Science & Government graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $31,973 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete this degree. See the full political science & government program report for University Of South Dakota

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 7 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.