University of South Dakota
Salary Score
Bachelor's
43
Master's
58
Doctoral
38
Fast Facts
Average Financial Aid: $5,208
Accreditation: University of South Dakota is acredited by 18 agencies
Salary Score for Online Degrees at University of South Dakota
Bachelor's Degrees
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | $25,756 | $34,694 | 64 |
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $23,477 | $36,775 | 58 |
Criminal Justice and Corrections | $23,750 | $35,109 | 53 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $21,450 | $37,003 | 29 |
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $25,546 | $57,262 | 21 |
Master's Degrees
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $119,446 | $110,722 | 76 |
Business Administration, Management and Operations | $20,700 | $78,587 | 65 |
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | Not Reported | $43,296 | 53 |
Social Work | Not Reported | $45,434 | 52 |
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $20,500 | $46,027 | 44 |
Educational Administration and Supervision | $18,425 | $52,161 | 39 |
Accounting and Related Services | Not Reported | $56,040 | 25 |
Doctoral Degrees
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | Not Reported | $65,801 | 18 |
FAQs About University of South Dakota
Does The University of South Dakota Have Online Degrees?
Even the most popular online schools offer in-person learning alongside their remote degrees. USD offers online degrees as well as traditional, in-person programs. Eight schools on campus — including the School of Health Sciences and College of Fine Arts — feature more than 200 programs. Online students have access to 50 degree programs, and 30-40% of USD students take classes exclusively online, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
Is The University of South Dakota Legitimate?
A school's accreditation status is the best way to determine its legitimacy. Accreditation is the process of evaluating a school's program offerings alongside its faculty and overall mission as an institution. This is done through a third-party organization that grades a school according to federal education standards. The University of South Dakota is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. OnlineU only represents accredited schools on its site.
What Is The University of South Dakota Known For?
USD is home to the only law and medical schools in South Dakota and the only public liberal arts college in the state. This makes it stand out as a highly recognized institution in the region. The Sanford School of Medicine specializes in family and rural medicine, while the Knudson School of Law provides flexible learning paths that can be tailored to a student's specific career goals. While online students are unable to attend these schools remotely, they can still earn remote degrees in law and government and a wide range of fields in health and medicine.
Which Degrees at USD Provide the Highest Earnings for Graduates?
The highest earning degrees at USD are in the nursing field. College Scorecard data shows that graduates can expect to earn around $61,000 three years after graduation. The following degrees are available online: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice.
Not far behind are degrees in health and medical administration, where graduates earn approximately $59,200, and dental support and allied professions, which has an expected salary of about $53,200. While online students cannot access dental degrees, USD offers an online Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences.
OnlineU's Salary Score — which compares alumni salaries from different schools using the same degrees on a scale of 1-100 — for USD is 43 for bachelor's graduates and 58 for master's graduates.
How Difficult Is It To Get Into USD?
USD can be considered a fairly easy school to get into because it accepts an overwhelming majority of applicants. In fact, College Scorecard lists the school's acceptance rate at 91%. The biggest roadblock to many students' college goals is often the high cost of tuition. USD makes the process easier for applicants by including various financial resources, such as upfront tuition costs, a net cost calculator, and a cost comparison worksheet.
What Are the Admission Requirements for USD?
The admission process for USD differs slightly depending on the type of students applying to college and whether they're military, transfer, first-year, or international students. Regardless of status, students must meet USD's general requirements, which include a high school GPA of 2.6 and a C grade average or better in English, math, social sciences, fine art, and laboratory science.
If the above requirements are met, students can apply by following these steps:
- Fill out an online application. This can be completed through the Common App or on the USD website.
- Submit a nonrefundable $20 application fee.
- Students who fill out the application through the USD website must send their high school transcripts to admissions.docs@usd.edu, while the Common App allows students to upload their transcripts directly.
- Send SAT or ACT exam scores directly to USD from the testing agency.
Students can expect to hear back from the school in less than two weeks.
Gordon Tsubira
Reviewed: 12/19/2019
Degree: Occupational Therapy
As a working professional with a young family. I have enjoyed the structure of the Post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and the support from distinguished faculty. The low cost of credits for this accredited program is a bonus. And the small cohort of highly motivated and experienced clinicians has been invaluable.
Jay S
Reviewed: 9/25/2019
Degree: Substance Abuse Counseling
I was an online student in the Addiction Theory department. I withdrew after 1 month. I did so because it became evident quickly that USD didn't have the best interest of its students in mind. Let me explain. First, their graduate outline dictates that students aren't actually taught. They are supposed to teach themselves from the text books with occasional feedback from professors. Which works if the professors are responsive and give proper feedback. It fails miserably when they do not. One professor... Read More
Carmen Hendrix
Reviewed: 8/10/2018
Degree: RN to BSN
This program greatly helped to bridge the gap between the associate's degree in nursing and the bachelor's degree in nursing. For students who are pursing a degree in the non-traditional way, like this, the program offered by the University of South Dakota is highly recommended by myself. The program is offered online, making it ideal for non-traditional students who may already be working and for those who have priorities and responsibilities outside of school or for those with children. Personally,... Read More
USD Alum
Reviewed: 7/18/2018
Degree: Human Resources
I've now had to change my plan of study for graduate school twice in seven months. The course rotation provided is wrong and over half of the classes offered for my specialization aren't even really offered. "TBA" is listed behind 1/4 of the offered courses. Advisors recommend completely unrelated courses, just for you to stay full time. My course quality so far has been hit and miss. I have had one great course, and three courses that I learned nothing in. I feel that this graduate program is just... Read More
Linda H
Reviewed: 4/26/2018
Degree: Organizational Leadership
The MSA program needs a serious overhaul. The online classes are not challenging or engaging. Most graduate level classes have an undergraduate feeling by failing to challenge students and are lectured by the same professor. Students are expected to teach themselves by using the antiquated D2L system which does not allow adequate discussions nor is iPad or another device friendly. Severely limited class choices which will keep you from graduating on time. The MSA degree program has severe overlaps... Read More