2027 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in South Dakota
[Social Sciences](/majors/social-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for social sciences students.
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2027 Best Value Social Sciences Schools in South Dakota
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in social sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Social Sciences Schools
South Dakota State University earned the #1 spot for value among social sciences schools in South Dakota. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $25,704 in student loans. Early-career social sciences graduates make about $40,799. Set against $25,704 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 98%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Dakota earned it the #2 place for social sciences. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,432, with out-of-state students paying around $12,942. Students borrow a median of $22,942 to complete the social sciences program here. Social Sciences graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $39,500 early in their careers. Set against $22,942 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes Augustana College South Dakota one of the best values for social sciences. Augustana College South Dakota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,160. Social Sciences graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Social Sciences graduates of Augustana College South Dakota earn a median of $46,646 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Augustana College South Dakota admits about 68% of applicants.
More Social Sciences Rankings
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
