Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City, South Dakota · Also known as Western Dakota Tech · Website
$40,240
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$40,240
median earnings, 10 years after starting
Western Dakota Technical College is a public 2-year college in Rapid City, South Dakota with 753 undergraduates. Its average net price after grants is $12,670 a year (tuition and fees $8,294). 54% of students finish within 3 years. Former students earn a median $40,240 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $15,000 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$12,670
US median $17,138
Tuition and fees
$8,294
US median $11,837
Admission rate
Open
Completion rate
54%
Within 3 years, US 58%
Median debt
$15,000
About $159 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$40,240
Rank 2,633 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $12,670
- Tuition and fees
- $8,294
- Cost of attendance
- $18,845
- Students with a need-based grant
- 33%
- Students with federal loans
- 41%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $10,071
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $10,543
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $14,003
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $18,657
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $18,845
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $6,200 in 2015-16 to $8,294 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- Open admission
- Undergraduates
- 753
- Part-time students
- 32%
- Women
- 55%
- Students per teacher
- 11
- Completion rate
- 54%
- Retention rate
- 67%
- Highest degree
- Associate's degree
- Programs
- 41
- Endowment
- $250K
- Other
- Open admission
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,633 of 5,094 US colleges and 14 of 21 in South Dakota (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | SD median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $12,670 | $18,146 | $7,702 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $8,294 | $8,845 | $4,656 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | - | 85% | 79% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 54% | 54% | 38% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 67% | 78% | 64% | 75% |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $23,250 | $10,417 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $36,971 | $43,427 | $33,563 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $40,240 | $46,709 | $38,555 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 2-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 48% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 65% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
41 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing AssistantsCertificate | Certificate | 56 | $12,720 | $43,884 | $53,976 | $56,073 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingAssociate's | Associate's | 31 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 27 | $12,483 | $38,031 | $54,948 | $58,424 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 24 | $9,500 | Withheld | $36,793 | $38,675 |
| Precision Metal WorkingAssociate's | Associate's | 23 | $12,000 | $37,717 | $51,988 | $56,451 |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, GeneralAssociate's | Associate's | 21 | Withheld | Withheld | $55,671 | $51,180 |
| Precision Metal WorkingCertificate | Certificate | 20 | $8,250 | $44,614 | $48,803 | $48,702 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 18 | $15,176 | $54,737 | $52,795 | $65,389 |
| Criminal Justice and CorrectionsAssociate's | Associate's | 17 | $15,750 | $27,459 | $46,659 | $46,706 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesOnlineCertificate | Certificate | 17 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $44,589 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied ProfessionsAssociate's | Associate's | 13 | $20,000 | $46,378 | $40,340 | $57,472 |
| Accounting and Related ServicesOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 13 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $47,660 |
| Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsAssociate's | Associate's | 12 | $14,750 | $40,418 | $59,696 | $54,971 |
| Business Administration, Management and OperationsOnlineAssociate's | Associate's | 12 | $20,000 | $24,503 | $35,644 | $48,733 |
| Computer Systems Networking and TelecommunicationsCertificate | Certificate | 11 | Withheld | Withheld | $53,185 | $50,162 |
| Building/Construction Finishing, Management, and InspectionCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $42,012 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesAssociate's | Associate's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $37,073 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 10 | Withheld | $22,074 | Withheld | $34,272 |
| Environmental Control Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $55,148 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansAssociate's | Associate's | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $55,895 |
| Health and Medical Administrative ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 9 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $35,447 |
| Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR)Associate's | Associate's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $58,236 |
| Electrical and Power Transmission InstallersAssociate's | Associate's | 7 | $12,000 | $41,303 | $67,204 | $70,808 |
| Plumbing and Related Water Supply ServicesCertificate | Certificate | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $49,996 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied ProfessionsCertificate | Certificate | 6 | $6,500 | $32,951 | $39,988 | $33,673 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: South Dakota on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in South Dakota
- Homes: Homes for sale in South Dakota
Questions and answers
How much does Western Dakota Technical College cost?
$12,670 a year is the average net price at Western Dakota Technical College after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $8,294, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $18,845. Families earning under $30,000 pay $10,071 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at Western Dakota Technical College?
Western Dakota Technical College has open admission: it accepts students who meet its basic requirements, such as a high school diploma.
How much do Western Dakota Technical College graduates earn?
$40,240 a year is the median pay of former Western Dakota Technical College students who work, 10 years after they started ($36,971 after 6 years). That ranks 2,633 of 5,094 US colleges and 14 of 21 in South Dakota. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Associate's) at $54,737.
How much student debt do Western Dakota Technical College graduates have?
$15,000 is the median federal student loan debt of Western Dakota Technical College graduates, about $159 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 41% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at Western Dakota Technical College?
54% of first-time, full-time students at Western Dakota Technical College finish within 3 years. 67% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 2-year colleges is 38%.
What are the most popular majors at Western Dakota Technical College?
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (56 certificate graduates), Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (31 associate's graduates), Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (27 associate's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 41 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.