South Dakota · Accounting and Related Services

Best colleges for Accounting and Related Services in South Dakota

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of South Dakota, Augustana University and Western Dakota Technical College award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in South Dakota: 86, 24 and 17 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 14 South Dakota colleges offer Accounting and Related Services and award 255 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Accounting and Related Services program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and practices. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting, auditing, or…

Institutions
14
offering CIP 52.03
States & territories
58
with a program page
Degrees / yr
255
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$44,850
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
6
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,086
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
50%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Accountants and Auditors
$85,030
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of South Dakota
Vermillion Public · Bachelor's degree
$57,2348660%—$25,793
2Northern State University
Aberdeen Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$51,2391049%—$29,816
3University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$49,3251363%$19,439$26,000

Top 3 certificate and associate programs

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls Public · Associate degree
$44,8504759%—$23,746
2Mitchell Technical College
Mitchell Public · Associate degree Small program
$40,475776%—$12,000
3National American University - Rapid City
Rapid City Private for-profit · Associate degree Online Small program
$32,54650%$22,086$28,757

Colleges awarding the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in South Dakota

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of South Dakota
Vermillion Public
86$57,234
2Augustana University
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
24Not reported
3Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City Public
17Not reported
4Mount Marty University
Yankton Private not-for-profit
13Not reported
5University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit
13$49,325
6Dakota State University
Madison Public
11Not reported
7Black Hills State University
Spearfish Public
10Not reported
8Northern State University
Aberdeen Public
10$51,239
9Dakota Wesleyan University
Mitchell Private not-for-profit
5Not reported
10South Dakota State University
Brookings Public
3Not reported
Show the other 4 South Dakota colleges offering Accounting and Related Services
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Southeast Technical CollegeSioux FallsPublic47
Mitchell Technical CollegeMitchellPublic7
National American University - Rapid City (Online)Rapid CityPrivate for-profit5
Sinte Gleska UniversityMissionPublic4

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.6%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~124,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$81,680
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingWritingMonitoring

What Accountants and Auditors earn in South Dakota

Jobs in South Dakota
5,820
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$85,030
median $78,880
Best-paying metro
$88,090
Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Related careers

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
$46,630 avg · 10,200 jobs
Accountants and Auditors
$85,030 avg · 5,820 jobs
Financial Managers
$172,430 avg · 1,000 jobs
Financial and Investment Analysts
$120,230 avg · 820 jobs
Credit Analysts
$82,670 avg · 430 jobs
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
$49,730 avg · 370 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Accounting and Related Services programs in South Dakota.

Which South Dakota colleges award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees?+

University of South Dakota (86 graduates a year), Augustana University (24 graduates a year) and Western Dakota Technical College (17 graduates a year) award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in South Dakota, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 14 South Dakota colleges offer Accounting and Related Services.

Which Accounting and Related Services program in South Dakota has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of South Dakota tops the list at $57,234. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Accountants and Auditors earn in South Dakota?+

The average annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in South Dakota is $85,030 (median $78,880), across about 5,820 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Accounting and Related Services program?+

The Accounting and Related Services program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and practices. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting, auditing, or…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Accountants and Auditors?+

The national job outlook is about +4.6% growth with around 124,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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