South Dakota · Criminal Justice and Corrections

Best institutions to study Criminal Justice and Corrections in South Dakota

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

Institutions
10
offering CIP 43.01
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
148
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$40,402
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
6
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,086
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
53%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Correctional Officers and Jailers
$53,260
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 6 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Southeast Technical College
Sioux Falls Public · Associate degree
$49,5601359%$12,000
2National American University - Rapid City
Rapid City Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$45,72080%$22,086$51,547
3Lake Area Technical College
Watertown Public · Associate degree
$41,2301273%$12,000
4University of South Dakota
Vermillion Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,4024760%$25,000
5University of Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$38,8581763%$19,439$26,950
6Western Dakota Technical College
Rapid City Public · Associate degree
$27,4591254%$17,999

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Correctional Officers and Jailers (SOC 33-3012).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
-7.8%
Decline
Openings / yr (US)
~30,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$57,970
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringSpeakingCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive Learning

What Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in South Dakota

Jobs in South Dakota
1,490
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$53,260
median $53,040
Best-paying metro
$57,580
Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Related careers

Child, Family, and School Social Workers
$53,320 avg · 2,050 jobs
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
$64,320 avg · 2,000 jobs
Correctional Officers and Jailers
$53,260 avg · 1,490 jobs
Security Guards
$40,250 avg · 1,460 jobs
Compliance Officers
$80,090 avg · 1,130 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Criminal Justice and Corrections programs in South Dakota.

Which Criminal Justice and Corrections program in South Dakota has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Southeast Technical College tops the list at $49,560. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Correctional Officers and Jailers earn in South Dakota?+

The average annual wage for Correctional Officers and Jailers in South Dakota is $53,260 (median $53,040), across about 1,490 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Criminal Justice and Corrections program?+

The Criminal Justice and Corrections program focuses on the various functions carried out by government agencies related to the punishment, treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. This program is ideal for students…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

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

What is the job outlook for Correctional Officers and Jailers?+

The national job outlook is about -7.8% growth with around 30,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A High school diploma or equivalent 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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