10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$112,502at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD · 42 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 42 · Federal debt reported for 23
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$112,502 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
17.7 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−43%Estimated return after 10 years
$59,693Observed 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: $10,870 housing and food allowance plus $6,280 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−$33,070
$8,000Annual price−$65,070
$16,000Annual price−$97,070
$20,000Current college-wide context−$113,070
$24,000Annual price−$129,070
$32,000Annual price−$161,070
$40,000Annual price−$193,070
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Most students take at least some classes online.
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
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
2,102 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
$19,858Average net price / year
$24,422Cost of attendance
$23,592Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$250/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$59,693Median earnings · year 5 after completion
59.9%Completion rate
98.8%Admission rate
1,125Average SAT score
22ACT midpoint
5,439Student 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 University of South Dakota
What does University of South Dakota cost?
University of South Dakota reports an average annual net price of $19,858 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University of South Dakota graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $59,693 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University of South Dakota graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $23,592. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University of South Dakota worth the same?
No. The current release contains 42 field-and-degree records for University of South Dakota; 42 report year-4 earnings and 23 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
13,606Students enrolled at any point
9,746Undergraduate students
3,860Graduate 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
44% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,016 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
68% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$48,679Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$53,191Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$53,842Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income58%
Middle income73%
Higher income79%
Undergraduate student composition
White76%
Black4%
Hispanic6%
Asian2%
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
$71,178Year 1
$111,499Year 5
$329,290Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$73,157Year 1
$94,656Year 5
$119,554Year 10
Clinical Psychology.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 42
$78,110Year 1
$110,768Year 5
$112,807Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$75,929Year 1
$95,590Year 5
$112,166Year 10
Law.Doctoral, professional practice · Broad federal field 22
$64,216Year 1
$85,202Year 5
$99,353Year 10
Community Organization and Advocacy.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 44
$84,905Year 1
$85,416Year 5
$99,192Year 10
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology.Bachelor’s degree · Broad federal field 26
$32,088Year 1
$60,751Year 5
$96,791Year 10
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 13
$97,476Year 1
$101,595Year 5
$93,465Year 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
$49,835Year 1
$62,334Year 4
$59,693Year 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.
1Medicine · First Professional Degree$126,9112Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions · Master's Degree$123,6123Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$109,3664Educational Administration and Supervision · Doctoral Degree$105,9585Public Administration · Master's Degree$87,2756Human Services, General · Master's Degree$86,7037Accounting and Related Services · Master's Degree$85,9648Law · First Professional Degree$83,195Observed 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.
1Human Services, GeneralMaster's Degree · $86,703 reported+52%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Health and Medical Administrative ServicesBachelor's Degree · $74,816 reported+27%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt3Parks, Recreation, and Leisure StudiesBachelor's Degree · $64,104 reported+26%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt4MedicineFirst Professional Degree · $126,911 reported+13%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt5Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesBachelor's Degree · $64,069 reported+9%vs same-degree national median$25,000federal debt6Public AdministrationMaster's Degree · $87,275 reported+7%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal 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.
Brookings, SD
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%
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 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | First Professional Degree | $126,911 | Not available | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Master's Degree | $123,612 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $109,366 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $105,958 | Not available | 9 |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $87,275 | Not available | Not reported |
| Human Services, General | Master's Degree | $86,703 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $85,964 | Not available | Not reported |
| Law | First Professional Degree | $83,195 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Bachelor's Degree | $74,816 | Not available | 2 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $73,025 | $28,644 | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | First Professional Degree | $72,528 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $72,032 | Not available | Not reported |
| Economics | Bachelor's Degree | $71,463 | $20,819 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $71,179 | $25,793 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $70,100 | $24,320 | Not reported |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Doctoral Degree | $70,000 | Not available | 54 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $68,556 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $64,890 | $22,950 | 7 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $64,104 | Not available | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $64,069 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Associate's Degree | $63,700 | $35,951 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Master's Degree | $62,804 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $61,518 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Political Science and Government | Bachelor's Degree | $61,362 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Social Work | Master's Degree | $60,964 | Not available | Not reported |
| Biology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $58,099 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | Bachelor's Degree | $58,046 | $25,000 | Not reported |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | Master's Degree | $57,931 | Not available | Not reported |
| Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Master's Degree | $57,716 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Master's Degree | $57,591 | Not available | Not reported |
| Marketing | Bachelor's Degree | $55,261 | $26,000 | 1 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Master's Degree | $54,349 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $52,211 | $26,000 | 11 |
| Communication and Media Studies | Bachelor's Degree | $52,100 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Psychology, General | Bachelor's Degree | $50,993 | $24,593 | 1 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | Bachelor's Degree | $50,306 | $30,092 | Not reported |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | Bachelor's Degree | $50,270 | $27,000 | 1 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | Bachelor's Degree | $46,034 | $27,000 | 6 |
| Special Education and Teaching | Bachelor's Degree | $45,415 | $27,000 | 1 |
| History | Bachelor's Degree | $45,096 | $27,000 | 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 University of South Dakota 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.