Best colleges for nursing in South Dakota
Colleges that offer a bachelor’s in nursing, ranked by Compass Score.
Best colleges for nursing in South Dakota7 schools
7 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score.
How this list is made
- Schools in South Dakota.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Offers a bachelor’s program in nursing, from the College Scorecard field-of-study data (credential level 3).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Augustana University
Sioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit#1 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 2
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD · Public#3 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B · Top 46%
- 3
University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD · Public#4 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 4
Mount Marty University
Yankton, SD · Private nonprofit#5 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
- 5
University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, SD · Private nonprofit#6 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B
- 6
Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell, SD · Private nonprofitGood: Compass grade B-
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade B-
- 7
National American University-Rapid City
Rapid City, SD · Private for-profit#11 in South Dakota
- Bachelor’s program in nursing
- Value grade C+
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Augustana University | About $24,000 | $25,000 | $59,217 | 73% |
| South Dakota State University | About $20,000 | $23,250 | $55,070 | 62% |
| University of South Dakota | About $20,000 | $23,592 | $51,926 | 60% |
| Mount Marty University | About $22,000 | $26,396 | $48,179 | 52% |
| University of Sioux Falls | About $21,000 | $23,249 | $54,521 | 63% |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | About $20,000 | $27,000 | $53,728 | 48% |
| National American University-Rapid City | About $31,000 | $29,020 | $37,325 | 0% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 16
- Arizona 10
- Arkansas 14
- California 53
- Colorado 16
- Connecticut 17
- Delaware 3
- District of Columbia 6
- Florida 35
- Georgia 37
- Hawaii 4
- Idaho 5
- Illinois 33
- Indiana 30
- Iowa 19
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 20
- Louisiana 17
- Maine 9
- Maryland 12
- Massachusetts 24
- Michigan 28
- Minnesota 25
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 36
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 10
- Nevada 6
- New Hampshire 9
- New Jersey 23
- New Mexico 7
- New York 58
- North Carolina 33
- North Dakota 7
- Ohio 64
- Oklahoma 17
- Oregon 6
- Pennsylvania 68
- Puerto Rico 33
- Rhode Island 5
- South Carolina 20
- Tennessee 31
- Texas 52
- Utah 14
- Vermont 3
- Virginia 33
- Washington 16
- West Virginia 15
- Wisconsin 24

