Best Nursing Colleges in South Dakota2026 Rankings
South Dakota is home to 7 accredited institutions offering Nursing programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, Mount Marty University is the most selective, admitting 48% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $22,959, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $23,962. Median early-career earnings for Nursing graduates in this state average $50,955 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 61%.
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| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Augustana UniversityPrivate | Great· 40 | 59% | 76% | $22,479 | $72,237 | 11:1 | 47 | 1,818 |
| 2 | Mount Marty UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 48% | 61% | $25,226 | $66,183 | 12:1 | 28 | 702 |
| 3 | Dakota Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 73% | 46% | $17,457 | $67,981 | 12:1 | 45 | 661 |
| 4 | University of Sioux FallsPrivate | Good· 32 | 82% | 61% | $18,201 | $70,622 | 17:1 | 40 | 1,258 |
| 5 | University of South DakotaPublic | Good· 30 | 99% | 61% | $18,608 | $71,758 | 14:1 | 47 | 5,239 |
| 6 | South Dakota State UniversityPublic | Average· 28 | 99% | 60% | $17,811 | $71,758 | 17:1 | 77 | 8,798 |
| 7 | National American University-Rapid CityPrivate | Fair· 24 | — | 60% | $29,232 | $69,890 | 6:1 | 24 | 832 |