Lake Area Technical College
Watertown, South Dakota · Public
Of 20 assessed programs, 18 leave graduates out-earning a typical South Dakota high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr) and 2 fall short. Another 17 could not be assessed.
What would this cost you?
| Family income | Net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $11,193 |
| $30k to $48k | $12,971 |
| $48k to $75k | $14,129 |
| $75k to $110k | $18,118 |
| $110k and up | $18,230 |
| All families (average) | $15,979 |
Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.
Program earnings vs a high-school graduate
Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.
20 of 37 programs could be assessed 54% have an earnings verdict
| Program | Degree | Median earnings | vs a high-school grad | Verdict | Median debt | Years to repay | Recent completers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Repair Technology | Associate's Degree | $60,763 | +$23,787 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 0.5 yrs | 109 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Associate's Degree | $48,305 | +$11,329 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 1.1 yrs | 83 |
| Practical and Vocational Nursing | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $56,633 | +$19,657 | clears the bar | $9,500 | 0.5 yrs | 77 |
| Precision Metalworking | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $49,693 | +$12,717 | clears the bar | insufficient data | insufficient data | 47 |
| Medical Assisting | Associate's Degree | $43,574 | +$6,598 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 1.8 yrs | 41 |
| Marketing | Associate's Degree | $43,632 | +$6,656 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 1.8 yrs | 36 |
| Computer Science | Associate's Degree | $60,752 | +$23,776 | clears the bar | insufficient data | insufficient data | 30 |
| Cosmetology | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $35,222 | -$1,754 | falls short | $12,000 | insufficient data | 29 |
| Precision Metalworking | Associate's Degree | $51,201 | +$14,225 | clears the bar | $11,000 | 0.8 yrs | 27 |
| Human Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $34,188 | -$2,788 | falls short | insufficient data | insufficient data | 26 |
| Finance | Associate's Degree | $47,420 | +$10,444 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 1.1 yrs | 26 |
| Human Services | Associate's Degree | $37,135 | +$159 | clears the bar | $11,273 | 70.9 yrs | 23 |
| Dental Assisting and Hygiene | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $38,313 | +$1,337 | clears the bar | $5,500 | 4.1 yrs | 22 |
| Auto Repair Technology | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | $50,334 | +$13,358 | clears the bar | insufficient data | insufficient data | 21 |
| Nursing | Associate's Degree | $66,233 1-year earnings | +$29,257 | clears the bar | $18,707 | 0.6 yrs | 20 |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and Inspection | Associate's Degree | $47,946 | +$10,970 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 1.1 yrs | 19 |
| Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | $69,953 | +$32,977 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 0.4 yrs | 16 |
| Criminal Justice | Associate's Degree | $52,822 | +$15,846 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 0.8 yrs | 16 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | Associate's Degree | $51,402 | +$14,426 | clears the bar | insufficient data | insufficient data | 12 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Associate's Degree | $72,225 | +$35,249 | clears the bar | $12,000 | 0.3 yrs | 10 |
| Mental Health and Counseling Services | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 25 |
| Commercial Driving | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 12 |
| Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 11 |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 9 |
| Natural Resources and Conservation | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 8 |
| Commercial Driving | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 8 |
| Dental Assisting and Hygiene | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 7 |
| Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 7 |
| Natural Resources and Conservation | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 4 |
| Air Transportation | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 3 |
| Computer Science | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 2 |
| Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 2 |
| Mental Health and Counseling Services | Associate's Degree | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 2 |
| Finance | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 2 |
| Marketing | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 1 |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | 0 |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data | insufficient data |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($36,976/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.