There are 29 colleges in South Dakota - 13 public and 16 private schools. At South Dakota colleges, rising college costs are evident in the Cost of Attendance (COA), which combines tuition, fees, textbooks, room and board, and personal living expenses; this figure has grown significantly in the last decade.
South Dakota Colleges Key COA Trends (2016-2025)
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at South Dakota colleges:
- On-Campus: The COA has risen by 9.79%.
- Off-Campus: The COA has risen by 16.48%.
- 2024-2025 Total COA: the average total COA is $24,747 when living on campus and $26,689 when living off campus.
South Dakota Colleges Tuition & Fees Changes
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type |
10-Year Increase (2016-2025) |
2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
| Public, In-State |
-2.15% (from $7,764 to $7,597) |
$7,597 |
| Public, Out-of-State |
-3.24% (from $10,232 to $9,900) |
$9,900 |
| Private Colleges |
32.42% (from $17,760 to $23,517) |
$23,517 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by -3.24%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by -9.31% over the same period.
Living and Other Costs
Living Costs (Room & Board, Other Expenses):
- At South Dakota colleges, living costs increased by 24.03% for on-campus and 36.96% for off-campus.
- The average living cost for 2024-2025 is $13,740 (on-campus) and $15,682 (off-campus).
Books & Supplies:
- Books and supplies costs have remained relatively stable (-10.07%), with the average cost for 2024-2025 being $1,107.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 9.79% when living on campus and 16.48% when living off campus at South Dakota Colleges.
In private South Dakota Colleges, the COA has increase by 27.59% (on-campus) and 32.41% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $24,747 when a student lives on campus and $26,689 when living off campus at South Dakota Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for South Dakota Colleges over the past 10 years.
COA (Cost of Attendance) Trends of South Dakota Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$20,073 | $22,541 | $30,069 | $20,445 | $22,913 | $30,441 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$20,355
1.40% | $23,122
2.58% | $30,950
2.93% | $20,714
1.32% | $23,481
2.48% | $31,309
2.85% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$20,602
1.21% | $23,393
1.17% | $32,035
3.51% | $20,958
1.18% | $23,749
1.14% | $32,391
3.46% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$20,990
1.88% | $23,844
1.93% | $30,015
-6.31% | $21,219
1.25% | $24,073
1.36% | $30,244
-6.63% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$21,723
3.49% | $24,658
3.41% | $31,009
3.31% | $21,569
1.65% | $24,504
1.79% | $30,855
2.02% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$21,902
0.82% | $24,836
0.72% | $30,443
-1.83% | $22,617
4.86% | $25,551
4.27% | $31,158
0.98% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$22,397
2.26% | $25,361
2.11% | $31,551
3.64% | $23,921
5.77% | $26,885
5.22% | $33,075
6.15% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$23,490
4.88% | $25,488
0.50% | $32,548
3.16% | $25,136
5.08% | $27,134
0.93% | $34,194
3.38% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$23,368
-0.52% | $23,829
-6.51% | $34,489
5.96% | $26,092
3.80% | $26,553
-2.14% | $37,213
8.83% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$22,444
-3.95% | $24,747
3.85% | $38,364
11.24% | $24,386
-6.54% | $26,689
0.51% | $40,306
8.31% |
|---|
Tuition & Fees Changes
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for South Dakota Colleges is $8,944 for South Dakota residents and $11,247 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $24,743.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $7,508 for South Dakota residents and $12,085 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $16,439.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
Tuition & Fees Changes for South Dakota Colleges
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate |
|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools |
|---|
| 2015-16 |
$7,764 | $10,232 | $17,760 | $7,710 | $12,215 | $9,147 |
|---|
| 2016-17 |
$7,899
1.74% | $10,666
4.24% | $18,494
4.13% | $7,054
-8.51% | $11,487
-5.96% | $13,246
44.81% |
|---|
| 2017-18 |
$8,047
1.87% | $10,838
1.61% | $19,480
5.33% | $7,273
3.10% | $11,730
2.12% | $14,553
9.87% |
|---|
| 2018-19 |
$8,225
2.21% | $11,079
2.22% | $17,250
-11.45% | $6,779
-6.79% | $10,850
-7.50% | $13,150
-9.64% |
|---|
| 2019-20 |
$8,456
2.81% | $11,391
2.82% | $17,742
2.85% | $7,569
11.65% | $12,045
11.01% | $12,745
-3.08% |
|---|
| 2020-21 |
$8,457
0.01% | $11,391 | $16,998
-4.19% | $7,571
0.03% | $12,046
0.01% | $12,902
1.23% |
|---|
| 2021-22 |
$8,703
2.91% | $11,667
2.42% | $17,857
5.05% | $7,618
0.62% | $13,148
9.15% | $13,207
2.36% |
|---|
| 2022-23 |
$9,442
8.49% | $11,440
-1.95% | $18,500
3.60% | $8,254
8.35% | $14,707
11.86% | $13,308
0.76% |
|---|
| 2023-24 |
$9,435
-0.07% | $9,896
-13.50% | $20,556
11.11% | $7,898
-4.31% | $11,078
-24.68% | $15,487
16.37% |
|---|
| 2024-25 |
$7,597
-19.48% | $9,900
0.04% | $23,517
14.40% | $6,501
-17.69% | $11,078 | $15,383
-0.67% |
|---|
Books & Supplies Costs Changes
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,107 for South Dakota Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
Books & Supplies Costs Changes for South Dakota Colleges
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,231 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $1,244
1.06% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $1,242
-0.16% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $1,188
-4.35% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $1,172
-1.35% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $1,155
-1.45% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $1,176
1.82% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $1,202
2.21% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $1,120
-6.82% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $1,107
-1.16% |
|---|
Living Costs Changes
For South Dakota Colleges, the living have increased 16.91% when a student lives on campus facilities and 26.40% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
Living Costs Changes for South Dakota Colleges
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|
| 2015-16 | $11,078 | $11,098 |
|---|
| 2016-17 | $11,212
4.03% | $11,297
2.81% |
|---|
| 2017-18 | $11,313
1.94% | $11,438
1.32% |
|---|
| 2018-19 | $11,577
2.15% | $11,555
2.34% |
|---|
| 2019-20 | $12,095
3.07% | $11,847
1.03% |
|---|
| 2020-21 | $12,290
0.36% | $12,169
9.45% |
|---|
| 2021-22 | $12,518
1.73% | $12,478
9.72% |
|---|
| 2022-23 | $12,846
1.81% | $12,824
2.58% |
|---|
| 2023-24 | $12,813
-0.95% | $13,734
0.55% |
|---|
| 2024-25 | $13,740
10.92% | $14,042
7.36% |
|---|