Best Degree Completion Programs in South Dakota 2027

Why it ranks #1: 72% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (the highest on this list) and its graduates earn a median $76,515 a year (higher than 8 other colleges on this list).

Dakota Wesleyan's degree completion program in organizational leadership is 100% online, with seven-week courses and a new start every seven weeks. Tuition is $400 per credit hour, and there is no application fee or enrollment fee. Credits from other colleges, certificates you hold and life experience credit all go into your completion plan, so work experience can shorten the road.

Why it ranks #2: Its online rate is $374 per credit for South Dakota residents (lower than 4 other colleges on this list) and 32% of its undergraduates study fully online (higher than 5 other colleges on this list).

The University of South Dakota lists transfer pathways from two-year colleges into its online Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, and its catalog permits up to 90 transfer credits with at least 30 taken through USD. The 120-credit degree covers communication, patient safety, health literacy and healthcare systems. Start with your earlier coursework and ask which pathway matches it.

Why it ranks #3: Its rate is $254 per credit for South Dakota residents (the lowest on this list) and 54% of its undergraduates study fully online (the highest on this list).

Dakota State's online Bachelor of Science in Computer Science suits adults with earlier college credit who want a technical degree. Transfer applicants send prior college transcripts and generally need a 2.0 cumulative GPA. The 120-credit degree covers programming languages, data structures, algorithms and operating systems, with a Software Engineering specialization for web and project work. General education from another Regental university counts under Board of Regents policy.

Why it ranks #4: Its rate is $259 per credit for South Dakota residents (lower than 8 other colleges on this list) and 52% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 2 other colleges on this list).

South Dakota State evaluates prior college courses through its published transfer-credit process for the online Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. The 120-credit degree includes a 33-credit major built from a required core plus sociology or anthropology electives, and you need a 2.2 GPA with grades of C or better in sociology courses. General education from any Regental university carries over under Board of Regents policy.

Why it ranks #5: Its online rate is $365 per credit for South Dakota residents (lower than 5 other colleges on this list) and 39% of its undergraduates study fully online (higher than 7 other colleges on this list).

Northern State charges online undergraduates $365.05 per credit with no out-of-state differential, so it costs the same wherever you live. If you have 60 credits and a 2.0 GPA, the Bachelor of General Studies lets you finish 120 credits through three 15-credit areas of emphasis and a capstone. Northern accepts all credits from regionally accredited colleges, and a Maroon and Gold Scholarship supports returning adult learners.

Why it ranks #6: 68% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 6 other colleges on this list) and its rate is $410 per credit for South Dakota residents (lower than 2 other colleges on this list).

Sioux Falls runs its Bachelor of Arts in General Studies fully online with mostly asynchronous classes, so you set your own pace. You complete at least three emphasis areas, 36 credits in all, from options such as business administration, education, humanities and nursing. Transfer admission asks for a 2.0 cumulative GPA, your coursework is reviewed once you are accepted, and there is no application fee.

Why it ranks #7: 68% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 8 other colleges on this list) and its rate is $420 per credit for out-of-state students (lower than 1 other college on this list).

Concordia University, St. Paul asks transfer applicants for official college transcripts and generally a cumulative 2.0 GPA for its health care administration BA. Up to 90 of the 120 credits can transfer. The applied piece is a career portfolio you assemble from presentations, projects and work samples.

Why it ranks #8: 62% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 4 other colleges on this list) and its online rate is $322 per credit for out-of-state students (lower than 6 other colleges on this list).

Metropolitan State University lists a $322.00 per credit base undergraduate rate for its business administration bachelor's, which you can study online or on campus. A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 with 16 transferable college-level semester credits attempted brings automatic admission, and a GPA between 1.5 and 2.0 brings conditional admission. Transferology shows how your earned credits transfer.

Why it ranks #9: 68% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 6 other colleges on this list) and its graduates earn a median $119,206 a year (the highest on this list).

University of Providence, based in Montana, costs $484 per credit for its healthcare administration bachelor's, but eligible healthcare professionals can receive up to 50% off regular per-credit-hour rates. All curriculum material is 100% online, in two eight-week sessions per semester with fall, spring and summer enrollment. The degree is 120 credits, 55 of them in the major.

Why it ranks #10: 63% of its transfer students earn a degree within eight years (higher than 5 other colleges on this list) and its rate is $314 per credit for out-of-state students (lower than 7 other colleges on this list).

Bemidji State generally expects previous college study for its online completion programs and identifies 24 credits as sufficient in most cases. The sociology BA totals 120 credits with a 36-credit major that includes quantitative and qualitative research methods, theory and a capstone. At least 21 major credits must be taken at Bemidji State.