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Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Dakota

2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Dakota

5 Schools Ranked
$7,931 Avg Tuition & Fees*

When it comes to higher education, there are a lot of options for trade school students. You're no longer limited to schools in your local area, either, since online programs are becoming more prevalent.

To assist you in seeing some of the education options that are available to you, Trade College Search has created its Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Dakota ranking. This report analyzed 5 schools in South Dakota to see which ones offered the best basic certificate programs for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Trade Basic Certificate Schools in South Dakota

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Lake Area Technical Institute

Watertown, South Dakota
62 Total Awards
$6,718 Average Tuition & Fees

Our analysis found Lake Area Technical Institute to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a basic certificate in South Dakota. Watertown, South Dakota is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out basic certificates to 62 students in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at LATI is $6,718. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

LATI does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 44% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full Lake Area Technical Institute Report

#2

Southeast Technical College

Sioux Falls, South Dakota
17 Total Awards
$7,650 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Southeast Technical College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Dakota list. Southeast Tech is a public institution located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The school has a small population, and it awarded 17 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at Southeast Tech is $7,650. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

Southeast Tech does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 43% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Full Southeast Technical College Report

#3

University of South Dakota

Vermillion, South Dakota
29 Total Awards
$9,432 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 5 schools in South Dakota that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Dakota landed the # 3 spot on the list. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, the medium-sized public school handed out 29 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

Students from South Dakota who attend USD full time pay an average of $9,432 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $12,942.

One thing to take note of is that USD does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 58% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

#4

Mitchell Technical College

Mitchell, South Dakota
18 Total Awards
$7,524 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Mitchell Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Dakota list. Located in Mitchell, South Dakota, the small public school awarded 18 diplomas to qualifed basic certificate students in 2021-2022.

If you don’t receive financial aid, you can expect a bill for $7,524 to cover tuition and fees at Mitchell Tech. The school does not offer an in-state discount.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Mitchell Tech. In 2020-2021 about 33% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Mitchell Technical College

#5

Western Dakota Technical Institute

Rapid City, South Dakota
38 Total Awards
$8,333 Average Tuition & Fees

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Western Dakota Technical Institute is a great place for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, the small public school handed out 38 basic certificate awards in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees at Western Dakota Tech is $8,333. In-state students do not receive a discount, however you may be able to reduce your price if you receive financial aid.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Western Dakota Tech does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 47% took at least some of their classes online.

Read More…

Best Trade Basic Certificate Schools in the Plains States Region

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 5 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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