2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in South Dakota
[General Studies](/majors/liberal-arts-sciences-humanities/liberal-arts-and-general-studies/general-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for general studies students.
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2026 Best Value General Studies Schools in South Dakota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Studies Schools
Black Hills State University tops our 2026 list of the best value general studies schools in South Dakota. Set in the town of Spearfish, Black Hills State University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,916, with out-of-state students paying around $12,018. General Studies graduates carry a median of $26,820 in student loans. General Studies graduates of Black Hills State University earn a median of $42,789 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 96%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Northern State University earned it the #2 place for general studies. Located in the town of Aberdeen, Northern State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,845, compared with $11,947 for out-of-state students. General Studies graduates carry a median of $26,143 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general studies degree recipients from Northern State University generally make around $45,824. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 93%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South Dakota State University earned it the #3 place for general studies. Set in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,299, while out-of-state students pay about $12,809. General Studies graduates carry a median of $20,866 in student loans. General Studies graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of $32,134 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. South Dakota State University admits about 98% of applicants.
University Of South Dakota came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value general studies schools. Set in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,432, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general studies graduates is $30,092. Early-career general studies graduates make about $35,907. That is a strong return on a $30,092 median debt. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general studies will find it at Dakota State University, which ranked #5. Located in the town of Madison, Dakota State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,654, compared with $12,756 for out-of-state students. General Studies graduates carry a median of $37,250 in student loans. General Studies graduates of Dakota State University earn a median of $41,119 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 ranked schools only.
- 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.
