10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
+$157,358at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
⌖ Rapid City, SD · 12 reportable field-and-credential outcomes
MODELED SCENARIO · Positive payoff
+$157,358 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
This is a positive modeled result. Price, time to finish and future earnings can still change the outcome.
6.2 yrsModeled economic break-even
+60%Modeled 10-year ROI
$86,809Observed earnings · year 5
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
Cost, completion and earnings context
$20,183Average net price / year
$25,385Cost of attendance
$86,809Median earnings · year 5 after completion
52.9%Completion rate
79.9%Admission rate
2,071Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
EARNINGS PATH
Reported earnings over time
$71,587Year 1
$87,878Year 4
$86,809Year 5
Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.
The college average is not the whole story.
Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.
1Engineering-Related Fields · Master's Degree$126,7872Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$95,6393Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$94,2014Industrial Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$92,8155Chemical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$90,8456Mining and Mineral Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$88,9047Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$85,3508Civil Engineering · Master's Degree$83,155Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding
Comparable colleges in SD
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.
Vermillion, SD
University of South Dakota
- Annual net price
- $19,858
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $59,693
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -43%
South Dakota State University
- Annual net price
- $19,841
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $58,627
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -47%
Dakota State University
- Annual net price
- $21,057
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,541
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -60%
Southeast Technical College
- Annual net price
- $17,400
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $50,646
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -77%
Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes
| Federal field | Credential | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $126,787 | Not available |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $95,639 | $27,000 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $94,201 | $22,541 |
| Industrial Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $92,815 | $26,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $90,845 | $28,000 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,904 | $27,914 |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $85,350 | $27,000 |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $83,155 | Not available |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $80,613 | $27,388 |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $75,779 | Not available |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | Bachelor's Degree | $48,069 | Not available |
| Metallurgical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | Not available | $27,500 |
Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.