2026 Best History Schools in South Dakota

History programs are offered at a focused set of schools across the country. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for history students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

• Best History Schools in South Dakota

Best Schools for History in South Dakota

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the history degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in History

1

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

26 History Degrees Awarded

$33,135 Median Starting Salary

South Dakota State University tops our 2026 ranking of the best history schools. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Roughly 62% of students complete a degree within six years here. South Dakota State University awarded about 26 history degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the history program make about $33,135 in their early career. South Dakota State University graduates carry a median of $26,977 in student loans. See the full history program report for South Dakota State University

2

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

13 History Degrees Awarded

$28,431 Median Starting Salary

University Of South Dakota came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best history schools. This large public university is located in the town of Vermillion. The six-year graduation rate is 60%. About 13 history degrees were awarded at University Of South Dakota in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, history degree recipients from University Of South Dakota generally make around $28,431. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete this degree. More information about a degree in history from University Of South Dakota

Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 8 schools evaluated.

• 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).

More about our data sources and methodologies.