Value signal
Lower net price
After typical aid, families pay below the national average.
Source: IPEDS 2024
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Community College public Verified data
Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City, SD
Western Dakota Technical College at a glance
Western Dakota Technical College is a public community college in Rapid City, South Dakota with 1,164 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It has an open admission policy (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection). Its published in-state tuition is $8,294 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $12,670 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 54% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 41% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $15,000 (College Scorecard). By program, the highest graduate earnings four years after finishing are in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair, associate's ($54,948) and Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN), certificate ($53,976) (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates).
Tuition
$8,294
2024-25
Acceptance
Open admission
2024-25
Students
1,164
Fall 2024
Type
Community College
Setting
Urban
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
$8,294
Out-of-State Tuition
$8,294
Avg On-Campus Living
$8,150
Avg Off-Campus Living
$9,756
Financial Aid & Outcomes
College Scorecard
What will it actually cost?
Sticker price: $16,444
Net price (after aid): $12,670
Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.
Net price by family income
$0 – $30k: $10,071
$30k – $48k: $10,543
$48k – $75k: $14,003
$75k – $110k: $18,657
$110k+: $18,845
Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)
At every income level reported here, the average net price is within the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow from the federal government for loans made from 1 July 2026.
The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr): $40,240
Median debt at graduation: $15,000
Est. monthly loan payment: $159
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Moderate · 2.7×Graduates earn about 2.7× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants: 33%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans: 41%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
FAFSA earnings check
: Not flaggedWestern Dakota Technical College does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $52,655, above the $34,790 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in South Dakota.
This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.
Student Outcomes
Graduation Rate
54%
Freshman Retention
67%
Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Out-of-state value
$8.3k below avg
Strong aid for lower incomes
Reported net price for the $0–30k band runs below average.
Manageable graduate debt
$15k below avg
Affordability snapshot
In-state tuition
$8.3k
Net price
$12.7k
Pell
33%
Median debt
$15k
below avg
Earnings (10y)
$40.2k
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
Acceptance rate
Open admission
SAT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
ACT range
Institution does not report this
Institution does not report this
Source: IPEDS, open-admission policy reported for 2024-25 (final (revised) release)
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Location
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Rapid City, SD 57703
Academics
Studying online: a substantial share study entirely online
In Fall 2023, 233 of Western Dakota Technical College's 1,047 students (22%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 288 (28%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.
Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023
Fields of study
Western Dakota Technical College reported conferring credentials in 28 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Decision support
Similar schools
Worth a closer look if Western Dakota Technical College caught your interest.
Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell, SD
Tuition $7,524 Open admissionSame state. Similar tuition. Similar acceptance.Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls, SD
Tuition $7,650 Open admissionSame state. Similar tuition. Similar acceptance.Lake Area Technical College
Watertown, SD
Tuition $6,718 Open admissionSame state. Similar tuition. Similar acceptance.Blue Mountain Community College
Pendleton, OR
Tuition $7,076 Open admissionSimilar tuition. Similar acceptance. Similar size.Nashua Community College
Nashua, NH
Tuition $7,140 Open admissionSimilar tuition. Similar acceptance. Similar size.Great Bay Community College
Portsmouth, NH
Tuition $7,200 Open admissionSimilar tuition. Similar acceptance. Similar size.
Graduate earnings by program
What Western Dakota Technical College graduates earn, by program
Western Dakota Technical College's certificate graduates in Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) earned a median $53,976 four years after graduating, 4% below the $56,073 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $43,884; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $12,720 in federal loans at this college (about $135 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $20,500 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
15 programs at Western Dakota Technical College have federal earnings or debt figures, largest graduating classes first. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The national median is the same measure for every program in that field and credential in the U.S.
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN), Undergraduate certificate | $53,976 | $56,073, −4% | $12,720 | $135/mo |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair, Associate's | $54,948 | $58,424, −6% | $12,483 | $132/mo |
| Clinical Laboratory Science, Undergraduate certificate | $36,793 | $38,675, −5% | $9,500 | $101/mo |
| Welding and Machining, Undergraduate certificate | $48,803 | $48,702, about the same | $8,250 | $87/mo |
| Welding and Machining, Associate's | $51,988 | $56,451, −8% | $12,000 | $127/mo |
| Criminal Justice, Associate's | $46,659 | $46,706, about the same | $15,750 | $167/mo |
| Medical Assisting and Allied Health, Undergraduate certificate | — | $34,272 | — | — |
| Health Sciences, Associate's | $55,671 | $51,180, +9% | — | — |
| Allied Health (diagnostic and treatment), Associate's | $52,795 | $65,389, −19% | $15,176 | $161/mo |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Undergraduate certificate | $53,185 | $50,162, +6% | — | — |
| Clinical Laboratory Science, Associate's | $40,340 | $57,472, −30% | $20,000 | $212/mo |
| Business Administration, Associate's | $35,644 | $48,733, −27% | $20,000 | $212/mo |
Compare what Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) pays at other colleges
What the job pays locally
- Dental Hygiene and Dental Support graduates train as dental assistants: median $47,900 in South Dakota.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: everyone working in the job, every experience level, not only recent graduates.
Show 3 more programs
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications, Associate's | $59,696 | $54,971, +9% | $14,750 | $156/mo |
| Dental Hygiene and Dental Support, Undergraduate certificate | $39,988 | $33,673, +19% | $6,500 | $69/mo |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers, Associate's | $67,204 | $70,808, −5% | $12,000 | $127/mo |
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Monthly payment assumes a standard 10-year plan. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV). Same degree, different paycheck: what the national data show.
Frequently asked questions
About Western Dakota Technical College
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is Western Dakota Technical College located?
- Western Dakota Technical College is located in Rapid City, SD, in the United States.
- What type of institution is Western Dakota Technical College?
- Western Dakota Technical College is a public community college based in SD. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- Is Western Dakota Technical College open admission?
- Yes. Western Dakota Technical College reports an open admission policy to the federal IPEDS survey (IPEDS, admission policy reported in the 2024-25 IC collection), which IPEDS defines as accepting any student who applies. Individual programs, often nursing and other health programs, can still set their own entry requirements, so check the program you want with the college.
- What is the tuition at Western Dakota Technical College?
- Western Dakota Technical College's published in-state tuition is approximately $8,294 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
- How many students attend Western Dakota Technical College?
- Western Dakota Technical College reports total enrollment of approximately 1,164 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much does Western Dakota Technical College actually cost after financial aid?
- The average net price at Western Dakota Technical College is approximately $12,670 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $10,071 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $18,845. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
- What is the graduation rate at Western Dakota Technical College?
- Western Dakota Technical College reports a graduation rate of approximately 54% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
- How much student debt do graduates of Western Dakota Technical College have?
- Students who borrowed at Western Dakota Technical College left with a median of approximately $15,000 in federal loans, and about 41% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of Western Dakota Technical College earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $40,240 for students who received federal financial aid at Western Dakota Technical College. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about Western Dakota Technical College?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Western Dakota Technical College.
- How much do Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) graduates from Western Dakota Technical College earn?
- Western Dakota Technical College's certificate graduates in Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN) earned a median $53,976 four years after graduating, 4% below the $56,073 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $43,884; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $12,720 in federal loans at this college (about $135 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $20,500 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- How much do Vehicle Maintenance and Repair graduates from Western Dakota Technical College earn?
- Western Dakota Technical College's associate's graduates in Vehicle Maintenance and Repair earned a median $54,948 four years after graduating, 6% below the $58,424 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $38,031; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $12,483 in federal loans at this college (about $132 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $15,125 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
- Which programs at Western Dakota Technical College have the highest graduate earnings?
- Among the 4 programs at Western Dakota Technical College with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Vehicle Maintenance and Repair, associate's ($54,948); Practical Nursing (LPN/LVN), certificate ($53,976); and Welding and Machining, certificate ($48,803) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.
- Does Western Dakota Technical College get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
- No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Western Dakota Technical College's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $52,655, above the $34,790 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in South Dakota, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
The 14 largest of 28 fields Western Dakota Technical College reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 55 | Certificate |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 34 | Associate's |
| Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians | 32 | Associate's |
| Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications | 25 | Associate's (16 associate · 9 certificate) |
| Precision Metal Working | 25 | Associate's (13 associate · 12 certificate) |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | 19 | Associate's (12 associate · 7 certificate) |
| Accounting and Related Services | 17 | Associate's (10 associate · 7 certificate) |
| Electrical and Power Transmission Installers | 15 | Associate's |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | 15 | Associate's |
| Plumbing and Related Water Supply Services | 13 | Certificate |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 12 | Associate's (11 associate · 1 certificate) |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 12 | Associate's |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | 12 | Certificate |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 10 | Associate's |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by side. All colleges in South Dakota. South Dakota college costs by family income. Student debt at South Dakota colleges. Computer science major guide. Business major guide. Nursing in South Dakota. Psychology in South Dakota. Engineering major guide.
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with Western Dakota Technical College before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.
Facts on this profile of Western Dakota Technical College are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). Western Dakota Technical College, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/western-dakota-technical-college
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