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2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in South Dakota

[Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 10 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for special education students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Special Education Schools in South Dakota

2026 Best Value Special Education Schools in South Dakota

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the special education degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Special Education Schools

1

Dakota State University
Madison, SD

$9,654 In-State Tuition & Fees

$31,000 Avg Student Debt

$50,970 Median Earnings (10yr)

Leading the list is Dakota State University, our #1 best value for special education in South Dakota. Set in the town of Madison, Dakota State University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,654, compared with $12,756 for out-of-state students. Special Education graduates carry a median of $31,000 in student loans. Special Education graduates of Dakota State University earn a median of $42,318 early in their careers. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 88%.

2

Augustana College South Dakota
Sioux Falls, SD

$40,160 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,217 Avg Student Debt

$59,217 Median Earnings (10yr)

Students looking for strong value in special education will find it at Augustana College South Dakota, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, Augustana College South Dakota is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $40,160. Typical student debt for special education graduates is $26,217. Soon after graduation, special education degree recipients from Augustana College South Dakota generally make around $50,088. Set against $26,217 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Augustana College South Dakota admits about 68% of applicants.

View All Special Education Rankings >

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 10 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.