Head-to-head comparison
Southeast Technical College vs Dakota State University: which has better ROI?
Option A Sioux Falls, SD
Southeast Technical College
- Net price / year
- $17,400
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,709
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Madison, SD
Dakota State University
- Net price / year
- $21,057
- Earnings, 10 years
- $50,970
- Payback
- 32.3 yrs
Dakota State University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $84,228 in 32.3 years versus not at all at Southeast Technical College, on median earnings of $50,970 vs $46,709 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southeast Technical College | Dakota State University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,400 | $21,057 |
| Total net cost | $34,800 | $84,228 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,709 | $50,970 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $23,500 |
| Payback | — | 32.3 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$67,820 | -$32,028 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southeast Technical College or Dakota State University?
Southeast Technical College, at $17,400 a year after aid versus $21,057 — a gap of $3,657 a year, or $49,428 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 Southeast Technical College or Dakota State University graduates earn more?
Dakota State University graduates report a median $50,970 ten years after entry, $4,261 more than the $46,709 at Southeast Technical 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 leaves students with less debt, Southeast Technical College or Dakota State University?
Southeast Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $23,500 at Dakota State University, a difference of $11,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
59% of students finish at Southeast Technical College, against 51% at Dakota State University. 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.