by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a grad degree. College Factual has developed its Best Master's Degree Colleges in South Dakota ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
What's on This Page: * Our Methodology
Our analysis looked at 9 grad schools in South Dakota to determine which ones have the best master's degree programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best grad schools. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
Average early-career salary of those graduating with a master's degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their master's degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.
In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their master's degree. We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty master's recipients will have paying back their loans.
We also analyze a number of other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt when coming up with our yearly Best Master's Degree Schools ranking. On a broad level, other factors that go into our rankings include such things as the demand of the school, the student body caliber, if the school has online options, and the educational resources provided by the school.
We go into more detail on these factors on our graduate school ranking methodology page.
If you plan to take your education even further, you may want to visit our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Augustana University tops this year’s ranking as the best grad school for master’s degrees in South Dakota for overall quality. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and it awarded 121 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Augustana Sioux Falls is $51,320 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of South Dakota. The school came in at #2 in South Dakota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. USD is located in Vermillion, South Dakota and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 511 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from USD make an average of $58,369 a year.
A rank of #3 on our Best Master’s Degree in South Dakota list means South Dakota State University is a great place for students working on their degree. South Dakota State is a fairly large public school situated in Brookings, South Dakota. It awarded 318 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from South Dakota State is $59,488 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Dakota State University. The school came in at #4 in South Dakota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Dakota State is located in Madison, South Dakota and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 125 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $80,459 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend National American University - Rapid City. The school came in at #5 in South Dakota on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Rapid City, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 121 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from National American University - Rapid City make an average of $50,830 a year.
Read full report on National American University - Rapid City
Northern State University ranked #6 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in South Dakota list. Aberdeen, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 92 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from NSU go into careers with an average salary of $38,740 during the early years of their career.
University of Sioux Falls did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 147 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from University of Sioux Falls make an average of $52,087 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #8, Black Hills State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in South Dakota list. Located in Spearfish, South Dakota, the small public school awarded 72 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,972 during the early years of their career.
Dakota Wesleyan University landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in South Dakota ranking. Mitchell, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 38 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Dakota Wesleyan University is $61,623 during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.