Trade Schools in South Dakota
Two paths into the skilled trades in South Dakota. Compare both before you commit.
Path 1 · Trade School
70 programs
at 9 South Dakota schools · pay tuition, finish faster
Top-paying program
$75,253/yr
Construction Engineering Technology · Lake Area Technical College
Avg grad earnings
$42,098/yr
first year after graduation
Path 2 · Apprenticeship
17 trades
225 registered sponsors · get paid to learn
Top-paying trade
$61,190/yr
Diesel Mechanic · median wage
Avg median wage
$54,041/yr
across all apprenticeable trades
Apprenticeship Trades in South Dakota
Earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship pathways available in South Dakota, sorted by median wage. Click any trade to see South Dakota-specific sponsors and live openings.
| Trade | Median Wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Worker | $92,060 | 810 |
| Bricklayer & Blockmason | $61,260 | 270 |
| Diesel Mechanic | $61,190 | 1,130 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanic | $59,690 | 1,270 |
| HVAC Technician | $59,460 | 1,130 |
| Electrician | $58,550 | 2,790 |
| Plumber & Pipefitter | $50,790 | 1,800 |
| Glazier | $50,220 | 140 |
| Machinist | $49,830 | 580 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $49,780 | 540 |
| Automotive Mechanic | $48,410 | 2,190 |
| Welder | $48,340 | 3,480 |
| Roofer | $48,320 | 440 |
| Firefighter | $47,520 | 540 |
| Construction Painter | $46,600 | 670 |
| Carpenter | $46,500 | 4,440 |
| Insulation Worker | $40,190 | 250 |
See the full South Dakota apprenticeship picture — sponsors + live openings →
Browse by City in South Dakota
Narrow to your metro — each city page shows local trade schools, programs, and (where available) apprenticeship listings.
Trade School Programs in South Dakota
Most common skilled trade programs at South Dakota trade schools. Pick a trade to compare programs across South Dakota.
Vehicle Repair Technology
$43,851/yr avg grad
Electrical Installation
$50,554/yr avg grad
Welding & Metalworking
$41,922/yr avg grad
Construction Management Technology
$38,060/yr avg grad
Highest-paying trade program in South Dakota: Electrical Installation at Mitchell Technical College — $60,565/yr first-year earnings. See full state rankings →
Browse by Category
Skilled Trades (12)
Healthcare (24)
Engineering & Technology (11)
Criminal Justice & Public Safety (3)
Personal Services (4)
Business & Office (9)
Agriculture & Natural Resources (3)
Other Programs (4)
Skilled Trades (12 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Installation | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
82 | $60,565/yr |
| Electrical Installation | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
69 | $49,794/yr |
| Construction Management Technology | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
66 | $38,635/yr |
| Construction Management Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
66 | $37,485/yr |
| Vehicle Repair Technology | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
64 | $47,080/yr |
| Welding & Metalworking | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
63 | $44,614/yr |
| Vehicle Repair Technology | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
62 | $46,262/yr |
| Vehicle Repair Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
60 | $44,032/yr |
| Electrical Installation | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
60 | $41,303/yr |
| Vehicle Repair Technology | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
59 | $38,031/yr |
| Welding & Metalworking | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
57 | $43,436/yr |
| Welding & Metalworking | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
51 | $37,717/yr |
Healthcare (24 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
78 | $66,233/yr |
| Nursing | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
75 | $62,601/yr |
| Practical Nursing | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
74 | $42,160/yr |
| Practical Nursing | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
72 | $43,884/yr |
| Practical Nursing | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
72 | $38,446/yr |
| Nursing | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
71 | $73,942/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
68 | $73,361/yr |
| Practical Nursing | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
68 | $38,287/yr |
| Health Administration | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
64 | $37,252/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
63 | $58,960/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
62 | $54,737/yr |
| Practical Nursing | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
61 | $37,827/yr |
| Dental Assisting | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
59 | $36,631/yr |
| Medical Assisting | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
59 | $35,932/yr |
| Clinical Laboratory Science | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
57 | $47,512/yr |
| Medical Assisting | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
56 | $35,074/yr |
| Clinical Laboratory Science | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
55 | $46,378/yr |
| Medical Assisting | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
54 | $37,282/yr |
| Health Administration | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
54 | $28,699/yr |
| Medical Assisting | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
53 | $22,074/yr |
| Dental Assisting | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
52 | $32,951/yr |
| Medical Assisting | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
52 | $30,234/yr |
| Allied Health Professions | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
50 | $41,564/yr |
| Massage Therapy | Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City Rapid City |
44 | $27,821/yr |
Engineering & Technology (11 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Networking | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
66 | $46,959/yr |
| IT Management | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
65 | $42,439/yr |
| Construction Engineering Technology | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
64 | $75,253/yr |
| Electromechanical Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
61 | $72,319/yr |
| Computer Programming | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
61 | $53,874/yr |
| Computer Networking | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
60 | $40,418/yr |
| Electromechanical Technology | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
59 | $60,085/yr |
| Environmental Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
56 | $50,685/yr |
| Industrial Production Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
56 | $50,348/yr |
| IT Management | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
56 | $33,190/yr |
| Electrical Engineering Technology | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
55 | $51,832/yr |
Criminal Justice & Public Safety (3 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Criminal Justice | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
71 | $49,560/yr |
| Criminal Justice | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
68 | $41,230/yr |
| Criminal Justice | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
58 | $27,459/yr |
Personal Services (4 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cosmetology | The Salon Professional Academy Rapid City |
46 | $24,068/yr |
| Cosmetology | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
46 | $20,420/yr |
| Cosmetology | Stewart School Sioux Falls |
45 | $22,684/yr |
| Cosmetology | Paul Mitchell the School-Rapid City Rapid City |
43 | $18,561/yr |
Business & Office (9 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
68 | $37,383/yr |
| Accounting | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
66 | $44,850/yr |
| Finance | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
65 | $40,070/yr |
| Accounting | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
63 | $40,475/yr |
| Business Administration | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
62 | $33,364/yr |
| Business Administration | Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City |
58 | $24,503/yr |
| Marketing | Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls |
56 | $39,617/yr |
| Accounting | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City |
55 | $32,546/yr |
| Marketing | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
52 | $32,043/yr |
Agriculture & Natural Resources (3 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Business | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
66 | $41,340/yr |
| Agricultural Mechanization | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
58 | $55,301/yr |
| Agricultural Production | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
55 | $40,871/yr |
Other Programs (4 programs)
▶| Program | School | Score | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geography & Cartography | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
54 | $41,879/yr |
| Human Services | Mitchell Technical College Mitchell |
48 | $35,070/yr |
| Human Services | Lake Area Technical College Watertown |
42 | $26,730/yr |
| Liberal Arts & Humanities | South Dakota State University Brookings |
32 | $20,704/yr |
Browse Other States
Sources & Methodology
Program data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (first-year graduate earnings from IRS tax data). Wage and growth projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS (May 2024) and Employment Projections 2024–2034. Apprenticeship data: U.S. Department of Labor RAPIDS database and the ApprenticeshipUSA sponsor directory.
Programs on this page are grouped by field of study — Skilled Trades listed first, followed by health sciences, business, and other categories. Click any program for detailed earnings projections and AI-risk analysis by career path.
Data sources cited above. Last updated 2026.