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2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in South Dakota

[Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology](/majors/psychology/clinical-counseling-applied-psychology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for clinical, counseling & applied psychology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in South Dakota

2026 Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools in South Dakota

If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the clinical, counseling & applied psychology degrees they offer, see the list below.

Best Value Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Schools

1

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

$9,299 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,989 Avg Student Debt

$55,070 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in clinical, counseling & applied psychology, no school beat South Dakota State University this year. Located in the town of Brookings, South Dakota State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,299 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,809. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates carry a median of $24,989 in student loans. Early-career clinical, counseling & applied psychology graduates make about $45,975. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.

2

University Of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD

$9,432 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,322 Avg Student Debt

$51,926 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of South Dakota came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value clinical, counseling & applied psychology schools. Located in the town of Vermillion, University Of South Dakota is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,432 in tuition and fees, compared with $12,942 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $26,322 to complete the clinical, counseling & applied psychology program here. Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of $48,320 early in their careers. Set against $26,322 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Dakota admits about 99% of applicants.

View All Clinical, Counseling & Applied Psychology Rankings >

Notes and References

The ranking above is published 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 · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.