10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$123,094at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD · 49 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 47 · Federal debt reported for 37
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$123,094 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
19.0 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−47%Estimated return after 10 years
$58,627Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
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.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $11,075 housing and food allowance plus $5,734 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$43,730
$8,000Annual price−$75,730
$16,000Annual price−$107,730
$20,000Current college-wide context−$123,730
$24,000Annual price−$139,730
$32,000Annual price−$171,730
$40,000Annual price−$203,730
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Higher Learning Commission
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- Town
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- Land-grant institution
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
1,546 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in South Dakota run 11% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$19,841Average net price / year
$24,636Cost of attendance
$23,250Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$246/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$58,627Median earnings · year 5 after completion
62.4%Completion rate
98.3%Admission rate
1,120Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
9,198Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about South Dakota State University
What does South Dakota State University cost?
South Dakota State University reports an average annual net price of $19,841 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do South Dakota State University graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $58,627 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do South Dakota State University graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $23,250. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at South Dakota State University worth the same?
No. The current release contains 49 field-and-degree records for South Dakota State University; 47 report year-4 earnings and 37 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
14,131Students enrolled at any point
12,489Undergraduate students
1,642Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
49% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
628 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
71% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$48,563Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$54,738Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$59,648Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income61%
Middle income80%
Higher income82%
Undergraduate student composition
White84%
Black1%
Hispanic3%
Asian1%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 51
$118,814Year 1
$150,282Year 5
$154,543Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$88,240Year 1
$111,787Year 5
$139,470Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$70,298Year 1
$93,118Year 5
$117,625Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 26
$62,605Year 1
$76,015Year 5
$116,180Year 10
Computer Programming.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$73,075Year 1
$91,987Year 5
$111,686Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$71,011Year 1
$88,155Year 5
$104,338Year 10
Anthropology.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 45
$51,223Year 1
$61,036Year 5
$100,633Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$67,977Year 1
$79,079Year 5
$95,543Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$51,160Year 1
$63,042Year 4
$58,627Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$132,6552Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · Bachelor's Degree$122,1693Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · First Professional Degree$117,5054Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$109,3955Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$103,0186Construction Engineering Technology/Technician · Bachelor's Degree$93,1957Mechanical Engineering · Bachelor's Degree$87,7048Computer and Information Sciences, General · Bachelor's Degree$83,815Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Plant SciencesBachelor's Degree · $78,494 reported+39%vs same-degree national median$23,125federal debt2Agriculture, GeneralAssociate's Degree · $63,218 reported+38%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Agriculture, GeneralBachelor's Degree · $61,132 reported+14%vs same-degree national median$20,000federal debt4Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree · $60,081 reported+13%vs same-degree national median$29,731federal debt5Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree · $70,727 reported+12%vs same-degree national median$25,000federal debt6Wildlife and Wildlands Science and ManagementBachelor's Degree · $50,623 reported+12%vs same-degree national median$24,798federal debt
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%
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%
Northern State University
- Annual net price
- $15,812
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,509
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -73%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 49 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | First Professional Degree | $132,655 | Not available | Not reported |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | Bachelor's Degree | $122,169 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | First Professional Degree | $117,505 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $109,395 | Not available | 2 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $103,018 | Not available | Not reported |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $93,195 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $87,704 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $83,815 | $22,748 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $82,486 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Agricultural Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $79,322 | Not available | Not reported |
| Plant Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $78,494 | $23,125 | 0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $77,932 | $28,000 | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Master's Degree | $74,289 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $73,360 | $31,000 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $70,727 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Agricultural Mechanization | Bachelor's Degree | $67,746 | $22,000 | Not reported |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | Bachelor's Degree | $67,607 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Agricultural Business and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $67,425 | $22,557 | Not reported |
| Mathematics | Bachelor's Degree | $67,059 | $18,000 | 0 |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $64,432 | $26,062 | Not reported |
| Architecture | Bachelor's Degree | $63,978 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Agriculture, General | Associate's Degree | $63,218 | Not available | Not reported |
| Agriculture, General | Bachelor's Degree | $61,132 | $20,000 | Not reported |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $60,081 | $29,731 | Not reported |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor's Degree | $57,986 | Not available | Not reported |
| Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $57,725 | $26,031 | Not reported |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | Master's Degree | $57,383 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $57,278 | Not available | Not reported |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | Bachelor's Degree | $56,400 | $25,500 | Not reported |
| Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $56,132 | $23,789 | 0 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $55,345 | $25,500 | Not reported |
| Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services | Bachelor's Degree | $54,646 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $54,446 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Animal Sciences | Bachelor's Degree | $53,784 | $23,162 | 2 |
| Design and Applied Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $52,630 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Sociology | Bachelor's Degree | $51,910 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management | Bachelor's Degree | $50,623 | $24,798 | Not reported |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | Bachelor's Degree | $50,420 | Not available | 0 |
| English Language and Literature, General | Bachelor's Degree | $50,335 | $25,200 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $50,210 | $25,608 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every South Dakota State University program record →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.