Highest ROI College Degrees in South Dakota

Top 20 college + major combinations in South Dakota ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	Mount Marty University Grad rate: 58.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,711,882	$182,115	$45,209	Full ROI →
2	South Dakota State University Grad rate: 59.5%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,639,478	$126,250	$22,761	Full ROI →
3	Dakota State University Grad rate: 49.0%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$1,465,206	$117,705	$24,447	Full ROI →
4	South Dakota State University Grad rate: 59.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,410,518	$114,802	$22,761	Full ROI →
5	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$1,294,892	$109,099	$23,544	Full ROI →
6	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$1,078,504	$100,634	$23,544	Full ROI →
7	South Dakota State University Grad rate: 59.5%	Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.	+$897,396	$91,422	$22,761	Full ROI →
8	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$747,932	$81,751	$23,544	Full ROI →
9	South Dakota State University Grad rate: 59.5%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$658,886	$81,032	$22,761	Full ROI →
10	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Grad rate: 57.0%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$540,530	$75,822	$24,865	Full ROI →
11	Lake Area Technical College Grad rate: 67.0%	Construction Engineering Technologies.	+$502,802	$69,774	$18,239	Full ROI →
12	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Public Administration.	+$502,472	$69,478	$23,544	Full ROI →
13	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Accounting and Related Services.	+$482,032	$68,456	$23,544	Full ROI →
14	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Medicine.	+$473,132	$68,011	$23,544	Full ROI →
15	South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Grad rate: 57.0%	Mechanical Engineering.	+$456,850	$71,638	$24,865	Full ROI →
16	South Dakota State University Grad rate: 59.5%	Mechanical Engineering.	+$434,786	$70,114	$22,761	Full ROI →
17	Dakota State University Grad rate: 49.0%	Information Science/Studies.	+$425,912	$70,164	$24,447	Full ROI →
18	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions.	+$408,672	$64,788	$23,544	Full ROI →
19	University of South Dakota Grad rate: 59.4%	Educational Administration and Supervision.	+$391,332	$63,921	$23,544	Full ROI →
20	Mitchell Technical College Grad rate: 70.8%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$384,514	$62,409	$16,241	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.