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Watertown, SD · Sioux Falls, SD
| Lake Area Technical College | Southeast Technical College | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $15,979/yr | $17,400/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $11,193/yr | $14,418/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $12,000 | $12,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $12,971/yr | $15,221/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $14,129/yr | $17,079/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $18,118/yr | $19,425/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $18,230/yr | $20,254/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $127/mo | $127/mo |
| Room & board (off campus) | $9,000/yr | $8,404/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,200/yr | $2,400/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $19,637/yr | $20,272/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $6,718/yr | $7,650/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $6,718/yr | $7,650/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 27% | 34% |
| Students taking federal loans | 57% | 54% |
| Getting in | ||
| SAT/ACT policy | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) | Open admission (everyone qualified gets in) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 73% | 59% |
| Freshmen who come back | 81% | 70% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $45,473/yr | $46,709/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $29,962–$62,719 | $31,371–$64,382 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 73% | 63% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $43,659/yr | $43,427/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 67% | 71% |
| Graduate on time | 66% | 52% |
| First-gen students who finish | 66% | 44% |
| Low-income students who finish | 56% | 41% |
| Students who transfer out | 5.4% | 0.7% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $45,724/yr | $46,398/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Health Professions 27% · Mechanic & Repair Technologies 20% · Agriculture & Veterinary Science 14% | Health Professions 41% · Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Computer & Information Sciences 12% |
| Most popular program | Health Professions — 27% of degrees | Health Professions — 41% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Mechanic & Repair Technologies — 20% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Agriculture & Veterinary Science — 14% of degrees | Computer & Information Sciences — 12% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Precision Production — 10% of degrees | Engineering Technologies — 10% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 9% of degrees | Mechanic & Repair Technologies — 8% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Construction Engineering Technology/Technician — $75,253/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $73,361/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 5.4% | 22% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 1,812 | 2,310 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 13 : 1 |
| Average professor pay | $7,792/mo | $7,762/mo |
| Full-time professors | 79% | 40% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $50,805 | $40,848 |
| Setting | Town (remote) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Watertown, SD | Sioux Falls, SD |
| Region | Plains | Plains |
| Founded | 1965 | No data reported |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Associate degrees | Associate degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional | Associate's Colleges: High Career & Technical-High Traditional |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.1% | 0% |
| Men | 53% | 43% |
| Women | 47% | 57% |
| White students | 88% | 81% |
| Black students | 1.9% | 7.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 2.8% | 2.7% |
| Asian students | 1% | 2.1% |
| Two or more races | 0.1% | 4.9% |
| Other / not reported | 6.2% | 2.3% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 29% | 33% |
| Part-time students | 19% | 43% |
| Students age 25+ | 12% | 25% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $11,996/yr | $8,249/yr |
| Endowment | $12.6M | $1.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | No — no campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | No data reported | 202 |
| Required to live on campus | No data reported | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | No data reported | $5,000/yr |
| Meal plan offered | No | No |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | No | No |
| Undergraduate research | No | No |
| ROTC | No | No |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | No | No |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | No | No |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | No data reported |
| College sports level | NJCAA Division III | No intercollegiate athletics reported |
| Football team | No | No data reported |
| Varsity teams | 4 | No data reported |
| Student athletes | 70 | No data reported |
| Athletic scholarships | $0 | No data reported |
| Athletics budget | $28,249 | No data reported |
| Athletics revenue | $28,249 | No data reported |
| Recruiting spend | $0 | No data reported |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.