South Dakota State University

Brookings, South Dakota · Public

All 54 assessed programs leave graduates out-earning a typical South Dakota high-school graduate (about $36,976/yr). Another 152 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$14,266
$30k to $48k	$15,248
$48k to $75k	$18,073
$75k to $110k	$20,706
$110k and up	$21,886
All families (average)	$19,841

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.

54 of 206 programs could be assessed 26% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical South Dakota high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Nursing	Bachelor's Degree	$77,932	+$40,956	clears the bar	$23,500	0.6 yrs	336
Animal Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$53,784	+$16,808	clears the bar	$21,349	1.3 yrs	117
Mechanical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$87,704	+$50,728	clears the bar	$27,000	0.5 yrs	95
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$54,446	+$17,470	clears the bar	$25,875	1.5 yrs	89
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$45,123 1-year earnings	+$8,147	clears the bar	$20,500	2.5 yrs	85
Pharmacy	First Professional Degree	$132,655	+$95,679	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	76
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$50,210	+$13,234	clears the bar	$25,000	1.9 yrs	73
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Associate's Degree	$45,438	+$8,462	clears the bar	$12,000	1.4 yrs	63
Pharmacy	Bachelor's Degree	$122,169	+$85,193	clears the bar	$25,000	0.3 yrs	62
Human Development and Family Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$46,487	+$9,511	clears the bar	$22,562	2.4 yrs	60
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$43,934	+$6,958	clears the bar	$24,313	3.5 yrs	59
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	$50,076	+$13,100	clears the bar	$24,250	1.9 yrs	57
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Bachelor's Degree	$56,400	+$19,424	clears the bar	$24,068	1.2 yrs	51
Agriculture, General	Bachelor's Degree	$61,132	+$24,156	clears the bar	$19,500	0.8 yrs	45
Nursing	Master's Degree	$109,395	+$72,419	clears the bar	$46,000	0.6 yrs	45
Agricultural Business and Management	Bachelor's Degree	$67,425	+$30,449	clears the bar	$22,000	0.7 yrs	42
Civil Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$82,486	+$45,510	clears the bar	$23,250	0.5 yrs	40
Plant Sciences	Bachelor's Degree	$78,494	+$41,518	clears the bar	$22,125	0.5 yrs	36
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$55,345	+$18,369	clears the bar	$25,500	1.4 yrs	35
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	Bachelor's Degree	$50,623	+$13,647	clears the bar	$20,250	1.5 yrs	34
Nursing	First Professional Degree	$117,505	+$80,529	clears the bar	$53,543	0.7 yrs	32
History	Bachelor's Degree	$46,502	+$9,526	clears the bar	$26,062	2.7 yrs	32
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$60,081	+$23,105	clears the bar	$20,162	0.9 yrs	30
Computer and Information Science	Bachelor's Degree	$83,815	+$46,839	clears the bar	$21,500	0.5 yrs	27
Medical Laboratory Science	Bachelor's Degree	$73,360	+$36,384	clears the bar	$26,500	0.7 yrs	27
Agriculture, General	Associate's Degree	$63,218	+$26,242	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	$67,607	+$30,631	clears the bar	$24,499	0.8 yrs	24
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$50,420	+$13,444	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Design	Bachelor's Degree	$52,630	+$15,654	clears the bar	$27,000	1.7 yrs	22
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$67,059	+$30,083	clears the bar	$18,250	0.6 yrs	21
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	$57,278	+$20,302	clears the bar	$40,952	2.0 yrs	21
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$51,910	+$14,934	clears the bar	$23,250	1.6 yrs	21
Electrical Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$103,018	+$66,042	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	19
Agricultural Mechanization	Bachelor's Degree	$67,746	+$30,770	clears the bar	$22,000	0.7 yrs	18
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Bachelor's Degree	$48,319	+$11,343	clears the bar	$25,000	2.2 yrs	17
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$56,132	+$19,156	clears the bar	$21,852	1.1 yrs	16
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Master's Degree	$57,383	+$20,407	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$70,727	+$33,751	clears the bar	$24,250	0.7 yrs	14
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Bachelor's Degree	$57,725	+$20,749	clears the bar	$24,312	1.2 yrs	14
Biology	Master's Degree	$74,289	+$37,313	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Chemistry	Master's Degree	$59,387 1-year earnings	+$22,411	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Hospitality Management	Bachelor's Degree	$40,969	+$3,993	clears the bar	$24,769	6.2 yrs	12
Agricultural Engineering	Bachelor's Degree	$79,322	+$42,346	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	$57,986	+$21,010	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
English	Bachelor's Degree	$50,335	+$13,359	clears the bar	$23,000	1.7 yrs	8
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$64,432	+$27,456	clears the bar	$25,000	0.9 yrs	8
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$63,921 1-year earnings	+$26,945	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Nursing	Doctoral Degree	$104,596 1-year earnings	+$67,620	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Architecture	Bachelor's Degree	$63,978	+$27,002	clears the bar	$27,000	1.0 yrs	insufficient data
Architecture	Master's Degree	$51,991 1-year earnings	+$15,015	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	Bachelor's Degree	$93,195	+$56,219	clears the bar	$21,185	0.4 yrs	insufficient data
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$45,770 1-year earnings	+$8,794	clears the bar	$24,024	2.7 yrs	insufficient data
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$42,170 1-year earnings	+$5,194	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Bachelor's Degree	$54,646	+$17,670	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
School Counseling	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	27
Air Transportation	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	26
Architectural Sciences and Technology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Construction Management	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	25
Statistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	23
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	22
Agricultural Production Operations	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	21
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Fine Arts	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
School Counseling	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Civil Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Architectural Sciences and Technology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Engineering-Related Fields	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Geography and Environmental Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Economics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Animal Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Communications and Media	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Mechanical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Plant Sciences	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Geography and Cartography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Landscape Architecture	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Electrical Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Food Science and Technology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Plant Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Computer and Information Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Apparel and Textiles	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Curriculum and Instruction	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Human Development and Family Studies	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Chemistry	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Design	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Public Health	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Animal Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Agricultural Engineering	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Construction Engineering Technology/Technician	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Biotechnology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Statistics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Pharmacy	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Agricultural Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Applied Mathematics	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Sociology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Music	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Nursing	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	3
Animal Sciences	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Food Science and Technology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Engineering, General	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Civil Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Electrical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Engineering-Related Fields	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Human Development and Family Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Microbiological Sciences and Immunology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Geography and Cartography	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Natural Resources and Conservation	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Mechanical Engineering	Doctoral Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General	Associate's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1

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.