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Cheapest community colleges in South Dakota

Community colleges in South Dakota ranked by published in-state tuition, lowest first. Published tuition is the sticker price; the price you actually pay is typically much lower after federal Pell grants and state aid. Use this list as a starting point, then file the FAFSA to see your real cost.

  1. Oglala Lakota CollegeKyle, SD$2,684
  2. Sisseton Wahpeton CollegeSisseton, SD$4,330
  3. Sinte Gleska UniversityMission, SD$4,714
  4. Lake Area Technical CollegeWatertown, SD$6,718
  5. Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchell, SD$7,524
  6. Southeast Technical CollegeSioux Falls, SD$7,650
  7. Western Dakota Technical CollegeRapid City, SD$8,294

Reading the list

The figures above are the published in-state tuition rates each South Dakota community college reports to the U.S. Department of Education. These are the rates posted to the institution's tuition schedule before any aid is applied. For most South Dakota community-college students, federal Pell grants alone cover a substantial share of tuition, and state aid programs in South Dakota often cover the remainder for residents who qualify. Out-of-state tuition is typically higher; check the individual college profile for both rates.

Tuition alone is not the right comparison for a complete cost picture. The College Scorecard also reports total annual cost of attendance — tuition plus required fees, books, room and board (if applicable), and other expenses — which is the more meaningful number when you are budgeting for a year of school. Each college's full profile lists cost of attendance alongside tuition. For students who can live at home and avoid room-and-board costs, the gap between tuition and cost of attendance shrinks substantially.

If your goal is the lowest possible total cost, the cheapest tuition isn't always the right pick. A slightly more expensive program with a higher transfer rate or stronger articulation agreement with a four-year university may produce a lower total degree cost overall, because lost credit on transfer can erase the savings of a low community-college tuition.