More selective than 67% of South Dakota colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $25,385. College Scorecard.
Higher than 67% of South Dakota colleges we cover and 47% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 100% of South Dakota colleges we cover and 87% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,539 applicants, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology admitted 1,312 and 496 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1340 on the SAT or 24–30 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for South Dakota residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What South Dakota School of Mines and Technology costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology took 4.6 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in South Dakota. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $15,348 | $71,061 | 1.9 years |
| $30–48k | $17,909 | $82,919 | 2.3 years |
| $48–75k | $18,366 | $85,035 | 2.3 years |
| $75–110k | $21,176 | $98,045 | 2.7 years |
| $110k+ | $21,993 | $101,828 | 2.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (27% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($72,257) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $36,460 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology majors, earnings & careers
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology offers 23 bachelor's majors across 4 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Engineering · 12
- Science & Math · 8
- Humanities & Languages · 2
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences | $95,639 | $27,000 |
| Electrical Engineering | $94,201 | $22,541 |
| Industrial Engineering | $92,815 | $26,000 |
| Chemical Engineering | $90,845 | $28,000 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | $88,904 | $27,914 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $85,350 | $27,000 |
| Civil Engineering | $80,613 | $27,388 |
| Geological / Geophysical Engineering | $75,779 | — |
Quick list of all 23 majors
- Applied Mathematics—
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Biotechnology—
- Chemical Engineering$90,845
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$80,613
- Computer and Information Sciences$95,639
- Computer Engineering—
- Electrical Engineering$94,201
- Engineering—
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Geological / Geophysical Engineering$75,779
- Geology / Earth Science$48,069
- German—
- Industrial Engineering$92,815
- Mathematics—
- Mechanical Engineering$85,350
- Metallurgical Engineering—
- Mining and Mineral Engineering$88,904
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Physics—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Mechanical Engineering → Mechanical engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 11.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Civil Engineering → Civil engineer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 6.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Rapid City
Overall prices in the Rapid City, SD area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,430. Housing costs 27% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 20 inches of rain a year, 54 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Pennington County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Pennington County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare South Dakota School of Mines and Technology with similar schools
Similar public colleges in South Dakota by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | 80% | $20,183 | 53% | $72,257 | This school |
| Dakota State University | 88% | $21,057 | 51% | $50,970 | |
| Northern State University | 93% | $15,812 | 49% | $47,618 | |
| Black Hills State University | 96% | $15,911 | 43% | $46,674 | |
| University of South Dakota | 99% | $19,858 | 60% | $51,926 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology would cost you $874 less per year than Dakota State University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, mostly from a lower estimate for personal & travel costs (−$1,286).
- South Dakota School of Mines and Technology gives aided families $506 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, South Dakota resident | South Dakota School of Mines and Technology | Dakota State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $10,500 | $9,654 | +$846 |
| Books & supplies | $1,900 | $1,200 | +$700 |
| Housing & meals | $8,800 | $8,990 | −$190 |
| Personal & travel | $5,000 | $6,286 | −$1,286 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$815 | −$377 | −$438 |
| Sticker price | $25,385 | $25,753 | −$368 |
| Average grants | −$5,202 | −$4,696 | −$506 |
| You pay | $20,183 | $21,057 | −$874 |
“+” means South Dakota School of Mines and Technology costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
What is the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology acceptance rate?
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology accepts 80% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 1,312 of 1,539 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1340 on the SAT or 24–30 on the ACT.
How much does South Dakota School of Mines and Technology cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $25,385 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $20,183 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $15,348 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,993.
How much do South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduates earn?
Former South Dakota School of Mines and Technology students earn a median $72,257 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology graduation rate?
53% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 84% return for their second year.
How long does a South Dakota School of Mines and Technology degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology costs about $85,035 after grants ($18,366 a year for 4.6 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $72,257 ten years after starting, $36,460 more than high school graduates in South Dakota ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in 2.3 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “South Dakota School of Mines and Technology: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/south-dakota-school-of-mines-and-technology (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).