by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in South Dakota, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **9** schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2027 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual reviewed 9 graduate schools on more than 20 objective measures such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
Here is the early-career salary range across the top-ranked graduate schools:
Here are the top-ranked graduate schools:
No school ranked higher than Augustana College South Dakota this year in South Dakota. Set in Sioux Falls, SD, Augustana College South Dakota is a private not-for-profit institution. The six-year graduation rate is 73%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $40,160. Augustana College South Dakota graduates report median early-career earnings of $50,088. Typical student debt is $26,217.
A rank of #2 makes South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology one of the top graduate schools in South Dakota. Set in Rapid City, SD, South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology is a public institution. Roughly 52% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $10,500, with out-of-state students paying around $14,900. South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology graduates report median early-career earnings of $75,838. Typical student debt is $26,668.
University Of Sioux Falls came in at #3 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in South Dakota. Located in Sioux Falls, SD, University Of Sioux Falls is a private not-for-profit institution. University Of Sioux Falls posts a six-year graduation rate of 62%. In-state tuition and fees average $21,750. University Of Sioux Falls graduates report median early-career earnings of $46,956. Students borrow a median of $26,103 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes Dakota State University one of the top graduate schools in South Dakota. This public school is set in Madison, SD. The six-year graduation rate is 49%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,654, with out-of-state students paying around $12,756. Median early-career earnings reach $51,970. Dakota State University students take on a median of $28,724 in debt.
A rank of #5 makes South Dakota State University one of the top graduate schools in South Dakota. Based in Brookings, SD, South Dakota State University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 62%. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $51,260. Typical student debt is $24,989.
University Of South Dakota did well this year, earning the #6 position. University Of South Dakota is a public school based in Vermillion, SD. The six-year graduation rate is 60%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,432, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Early-career graduates earn a median of $51,566. Graduates carry a median of $26,322 in student loans.
Mount Marty College ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best graduate schools. Set in Yankton, SD, Mount Marty College is a private not-for-profit institution. Mount Marty College graduates 52% of students within six years. Students from in state pay about $34,600 in tuition and fees. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $108,425. Mount Marty College students take on a median of $27,000 in debt.
National American University Rapid City placed #8 among the best graduate schools in South Dakota. This private for-profit school is set in Rapid City, SD. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $16,065. Early-career graduates earn a median of $47,873. The median student debt is $38,264.
California Intercontinental University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Set in Sioux Falls, SD, California Intercontinental University is a private for-profit institution. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $104,340.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.