2026 Best Healthcare Schools in South Dakota
Looking for the best Healthcare degree programs in South Dakota? Our ranking highlights 27 institutions by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Each school below is scored on factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To help you make your decision, Healthcare Degree Search reviewed 18 schools to produce this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Healthcare Degree Schools in South Dakota
Explore the leading schools below:
Mount Marty College tops our 2026 ranking of the best Healthcare degree schools in South Dakota. This private not-for-profit school is set in Yankton, SD. About 52% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $34,600 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete their Healthcare program here. Read the full report on Mount Marty College
Request InformationYou'll be in good company at South Dakota State University, which ranked #2 this year. South Dakota State University is a public school based in Brookings, SD. South Dakota State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 62%. In-state tuition and fees run about $9,299, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Typical Healthcare student debt is $24,989. See the full South Dakota State University profile
Request InformationYou'll be in good company at Lake Area Technical Institute, which ranked #3 this year. Lake Area Technical Institute is a public school based in Watertown, SD. Students from in state pay about $6,718 in tuition and fees. Graduates carry a median of $13,674 in student loans. Read more about Lake Area Technical Institute
Request InformationOut of the 18 schools in South Dakota in this year's ranking, Augustana College South Dakota landed the #4 spot. Set in Sioux Falls, SD, Augustana College South Dakota is a private not-for-profit institution. Roughly 73% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $40,160. Augustana College South Dakota Healthcare students take on a median of $26,217 in debt. Read the full report on Augustana College South Dakota
Request InformationYou'll be in good company at Southeast Technical Institute, which ranked #5 this year. This public school is set in Sioux Falls, SD. In-state tuition and fees average $7,650. Typical Healthcare student debt is $18,442. See the full Southeast Technical Institute profile
Request InformationUniversity Of South Dakota did well this year, earning the #6 position. Located in Vermillion, SD, University Of South Dakota is a public institution. University Of South Dakota graduates 60% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,432, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,322 to complete their Healthcare program here. Read more about University Of South Dakota
Request InformationMitchell Technical Institute ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best Healthcare schools. This public school is set in Mitchell, SD. In-state tuition and fees average $7,524. Typical Healthcare student debt is $12,730. Read more about Mitchell Technical Institute
Request InformationUniversity Of Sioux Falls placed #8 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. University Of Sioux Falls is a private not-for-profit school based in Sioux Falls, SD. University Of Sioux Falls graduates 62% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,750. The median Healthcare program debt is $26,103. Read more about University Of Sioux Falls
Request InformationWestern Dakota Technical Institute placed #9 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. This public school is set in Rapid City, SD. In-state tuition and fees run about $8,294. Western Dakota Technical Institute Healthcare students take on a median of $15,620 in debt. Get the full Western Dakota Technical Institute report
Request InformationNational American University Rapid City came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Based in Rapid City, SD, National American University Rapid City is a private for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $16,065. Typical Healthcare student debt is $38,264. Read the full report on National American University Rapid City
Request InformationSouth Dakota School Of Mines And Technology did well this year, earning the #11 position. Read more about South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology
Request InformationStewart School
Stewart School ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best Healthcare schools. See the full Stewart School profile
Request InformationSinte Gleska University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best Healthcare schools. Read the full report on Sinte Gleska University
Request InformationHeadlines Academy Inc placed #14 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. See the full Headlines Academy Inc profile
Request InformationOglala Lakota College did well this year, earning the #15 position. More on Oglala Lakota College
Request InformationBlack Hills State University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. Read the full report on Black Hills State University
Request InformationAvera Sacred Heart Hospital placed #17 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. See the full Avera Sacred Heart Hospital profile
Request InformationCalifornia Intercontinental University came in at #18 in this year's ranking. Get the full California Intercontinental University report
Request InformationSisseton Wahpeton College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the best Healthcare schools. More on Sisseton Wahpeton College
Request InformationNorthern State University landed the #20 spot in South Dakota this year. Read the full report on Northern State University
Request InformationBlack Hills Beauty College did well this year, earning the #21 position. See the full Black Hills Beauty College profile
Request InformationInstitute Of Lutheran Theology came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Get the full Institute Of Lutheran Theology report
Request InformationSanford Medical Center placed #23 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. Get the full Sanford Medical Center report
Request InformationSioux Falls Seminary placed #24 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. Read more about Sioux Falls Seminary
Request InformationDakota State University placed #25 among Healthcare schools in South Dakota. More on Dakota State University
Request InformationRest of the Top 15% Best Healthcare Degree Schools in South Dakota
These schools also placed among the very best this year:
Dakota Wesleyan University came in at #26 in this year's ranking. More on Dakota Wesleyan University
Request InformationHot Rod Institute ranked #27 on our 2026 list of the best Healthcare schools. Get the full Hot Rod Institute report
Request InformationMore Healthcare Rankings
Ranking Methodology & Notes
This list is compiled by Healthcare Degree Search (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: State · 18 schools evaluated. *Averages shown above reflect the top 27 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).