Head-to-head comparison
Northern State University vs Oglala Lakota College: which has better ROI?
Option A Aberdeen, SD
Northern State University
- Net price / year
- $15,812
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,618
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Kyle, SD
Oglala Lakota College
- Net price / year
- $1,895
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,517
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northern State University comes closer — median earnings $47,618 against a $63,248 total, vs $22,517 at Oglala Lakota College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northern State University | Oglala Lakota College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,812 | $1,895 |
| Total net cost | $63,248 | $3,790 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,618 | $22,517 |
| Median debt | $22,320 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$78,088 | -$520,650 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northern State University or Oglala Lakota College?
Oglala Lakota College, at $1,895 a year after aid versus $15,812 — a gap of $13,917 a year, or $59,458 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Northern State University or Oglala Lakota College graduates earn more?
Northern State University graduates report a median $47,618 ten years after entry, $25,101 more than the $22,517 at Oglala Lakota College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
49% of students finish at Northern State University, against 9% at Oglala Lakota College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.