Best Political Science Colleges in South Dakota2026 Rankings
South Dakota is home to 7 accredited institutions offering Political Science 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, Augustana University is the most selective, admitting 59% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $18,485, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $20,374. Median early-career earnings for Political Science graduates in this state average $49,781 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 56%.
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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 | $46,646 | 11:1 | 47 | 1,818 |
| 2 | Dakota Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | Good· 33 | 73% | 46% | $17,457 | $54,419 | 12:1 | 45 | 661 |
| 3 | University of Sioux FallsPrivate | Good· 32 | 82% | 61% | $18,201 | $48,907 | 17:1 | 40 | 1,258 |
| 4 | University of South DakotaPublic | Good· 30 | 99% | 61% | $18,608 | $31,973 | 14:1 | 47 | 5,239 |
| 5 | Northern State UniversityPublic | Good· 30 | 93% | 52% | $16,444 | $42,847 | 17:1 | 32 | 1,239 |
| 6 | Black Hills State UniversityPublic | Average· 28 | 94% | 39% | $17,864 | $40,957 | 17:1 | 35 | 1,935 |
| 7 | South Dakota State UniversityPublic | Average· 28 | 99% | 60% | $17,811 | $34,337 | 17:1 | 77 | 8,798 |