It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Top South Dakota Colleges for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision.
We analyzed 11 colleges and universities across South Dakota to determine which ones have the best associate degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Higher Than Average Earnings
The average early-career salary of those graduating with a associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. Recent students who earned a associate degree in South Dakota entered the job market making an average of $37,091 while those in the top 7 schools on our list made an average of $39,631.
Starting Salary ( 32692 to 43609 )
Taking Out Student Loans
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that students take on while they are working on their associate degree.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients from schools in South Dakota have accumulated an average of $23,788 in student debt.
The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
More Ranking Factors That Are Important
Our Best Associate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt.
On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best associate degree schools nearest you. Also, check out our other college rankings to help you with your college decision.
Our 2024 rankings named Lake Area Technical Institute the best school in South Dakota in terms of overall quality for students working on their associate degree. Located in Watertown, South Dakota, the small public school handed out 579 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from LATI is $38,151 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $13,101. This translates to an average monthly payment of $115 if the graduate is repaying the loan over a 10-year period.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend South Dakota State University. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota list. South Dakota State University is a fairly large public school located in Brookings, South Dakota that handed out 91 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,812 after getting their degree.
The excellent associate degree programs at Dakota State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Dakota. Madison, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 40 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a associate degree from Dakota State go into careers with an average salary of $36,834 during the early years of their career.
The excellent associate degree programs at Mitchell Technical College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Dakota. Mitchell Tech is located in Mitchell, South Dakota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 323 associate degrees to qualified graduate students.
The average salary of a graduate with a associate degree from Mitchell Tech is $40,089 during the early years of their career. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $13,364 after getting their degree.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Southeast Technical College. The school came in at #5 in South Dakota on this year’s best associate degree schools ranking. Located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the small public school awarded 619 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Southeast Tech make an average of $40,067 a year. Associate students leave the school with an average of $20,875 in student loans.
National American University - Rapid City came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, the small private for-profit school awarded 106 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $34,029 during the early years of their career. The average amount of student debt accumulated by associate students is $34,974.
University of Sioux Falls did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking, coming in at #7. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it awarded 10 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Northern State University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota list. Aberdeen, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 18 students in 2020-2021.
Black Hills State University landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking. BHSU is a public institution located in Spearfish, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 44 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Associate students leave the school with an average of $14,750 in student loans.
Western Dakota Technical Institute ranked #10 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota list. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, the small public school handed out 226 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, associate degree graduates from Western Dakota Tech make an average of $37,173 a year. Associate students carry an average student debt load of about $18,252 after getting their degree.
With a ranking of #11, Oglala Lakota College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Schools in South Dakota list. Located in Kyle, South Dakota, the small public school handed out 87 associate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, associate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,074 during the early years of their career.
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).
Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
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