South Dakota · Public Administration

Best colleges for Public Administration in South Dakota

Ranked by graduates a year

University of South Dakota is the only South Dakota college that awards Public Administration degrees and certificates: 30 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

Institutions
1
offering CIP 44.04
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
30
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
—
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
0
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
60%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · General and Operations Managers
$153,020
BLS OEWS May 2025

1 institutions offering Public Administration in South Dakota

Graduate earnings are not yet reported for these institutions; ordered by graduates a year.

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
—3060%——

Colleges awarding the most Public Administration degrees in South Dakota

By graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). 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
30Not reported

Career outlook

What this program leads to: General and Operations Managers (SOC 11-1021).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.4%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~308,700
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$102,950
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What General and Operations Managers earn in South Dakota

Jobs in South Dakota
4,280
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$153,020
median $137,400
Best-paying metro
$155,870
Sioux Falls, SD-MN

Related careers

General and Operations Managers
$153,020 avg · 4,280 jobs
Construction Managers
$123,320 avg · 1,070 jobs
Chief Executives
$336,560 avg · 510 jobs
Social and Community Service Managers
$90,180 avg · 450 jobs
Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers
$107,970 avg · 370 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Public Administration programs in South Dakota.

Which South Dakota colleges award the most Public Administration degrees?+

University of South Dakota is the only South Dakota college that awards Public Administration degrees and certificates: 30 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions).

How much do General and Operations Managers earn in South Dakota?+

The average annual wage for General and Operations Managers in South Dakota is $153,020 (median $137,400), across about 4,280 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Public Administration program?+

The Public Administration program focuses on the principles and practices involved in managing public sector organizations and services. It is designed for individuals interested in pursuing careers that contribute to the effective…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

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

What is the job outlook for General and Operations Managers?+

The national job outlook is about +4.4% growth with around 308,700 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.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card