Colleges & Universities in South Dakota
All 25 accredited institutions in South Dakota, ranked by composite score — a data-driven blend of selectivity, graduation rate, and affordability. Filter by type, sort by any metric, or search by name.
About Colleges & Universities in South Dakota
South Dakota is home to 25 accredited postsecondary institutions, spanning 18 four-year colleges and universities and 7 two-year community and technical colleges. Of these, 13 are publicly funded, offering subsidized in-state tuition for South Dakota residents. Our composite scores combine acceptance rate, six-year graduation rate, net price for lower-income students, and enrollment to produce a single 0–100 quality signal for each institution. The average composite score across South Dakota colleges is 48 out of 100.
The average acceptance rate across South Dakota colleges with available data is 82%, compared to the national median of around 65%. Selectivity varies enormously — from highly competitive research universities that admit fewer than 15% of applicants to open-enrollment community colleges that welcome all students. Use the "Acceptance Rate" sort to find the most and least selective options.
When choosing a college in South Dakota, look beyond the sticker price. The net price for families earning under $30,000 per year is often far lower than published tuition after grants and scholarships are applied. Sort by "Most Affordable" to surface institutions where lower-income students pay the least out of pocket. You can also compare colleges in South Dakota side by side to evaluate fit across every dimension.