2026 Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in South Dakota
[Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting](/majors/protective-security-safety-services/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 12 schools to find the best return on investment for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting students.
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2026 Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools in South Dakota
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting Schools
Lake Area Technical Institute earned the #1 spot for value among homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting schools in South Dakota. Lake Area Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Watertown. Students from in state pay about $6,718 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates is $12,000. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of $41,230 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting will find it at Northern State University, which ranked #2. Northern State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Aberdeen. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,845, compared with $11,947 for out-of-state students. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates carry a median of $26,143 in student loans. Soon after graduation, homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting degree recipients from Northern State University generally make around $45,824. Set against $26,143 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting will find it at Southeast Technical Institute, which ranked #3. Southeast Technical Institute is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Students from in state pay about $7,650 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $12,000 to complete the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program here. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of Southeast Technical Institute earn a median of $49,560 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of South Dakota came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting schools. University Of South Dakota is a large public school located in the town of Vermillion. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,432, with out-of-state students paying around $12,942. Typical student debt for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates is $25,000. Early-career homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates make about $40,402. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Sioux Falls earned it the #5 place for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. Set in the city of Sioux Falls, University Of Sioux Falls is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,750. Typical student debt for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting graduates is $26,950. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of University Of Sioux Falls earn a median of $38,858 early in their careers. Set against $26,950 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 83% of applicants are accepted.
National American University Rapid City placed #6 among the best values for homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting. National American University Rapid City is a small private for-profit school located in the city of Rapid City. In-state tuition and fees average $16,065. Students borrow a median of $43,158 to complete the homeland security, law enforcement & firefighting program here. Homeland Security, Law Enforcement & Firefighting graduates of National American University Rapid City earn a median of $45,720 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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 4 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.
