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Western Dakota Technical Institute

800 Mickelson Dr
Rapid City, SD 57703

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Top Ranked (2024): View Rankings

Tel: (605) 718-2400

www.wdt.edu

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Western Dakota Technical Institute is a public institution of higher learning where students acquire the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary for successful employment.

School Highlights

Western Dakota Technical Institute serves 1,214 students (50% of students are full-time).

The college's student:teacher ratio of 11:1 is higher than the state community college average of 9:1.

Minority enrollment is 22% of the student body (majority American), which is more than the state average of 19%.

Quick Stats (2024)

Enrollment: 1,214 students
In-state tuition: $5,960
Out-state tuition: $5,960
Acceptance Rate: 97%
Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
Minority enrollment: 22%
Source: Verified school update

Top Rankings

Western Dakota Technical Institute ranks among the top 20% of public schools in South Dakota for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 109 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.

Western Dakota Technical Institute

(SD) Community College Avg.

Carnegie Classification

Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional

Associates Colleges

Institution Level

Less than 2 yrs

Institution Control

Public

Total Faculty

109 staff

208 staff

This chart displays total faculty of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average number of faculty in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

School Calendar

Link to School Calendar

Student Body

The student population of Western Dakota Technical Institute has stayed relatively flat over five years.

The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 has stayed the same over five years.

The Western Dakota Technical Institute diversity score of 0.38 is more than the state average of 0.34. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.

Total Enrollment

1,214 students

1,553 students

This chart displays the total enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average number of enrollment of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Student : Teacher Ratio

11:1

9:1

This chart displays the student staff ratio of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average student staff ratio of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

# Full-Time Students

603 students

845 students

This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

# Part-Time Students

611 students

708 students

This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Western Dakota Technical Institute.

This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of South Dakota.

# Enrollment Undergraduate

993 students

200 students

# Full-Time Undergraduate Students

603 students

1,193 students

This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

# Full-Time Graduate Students

n/a

123 students

# Part-Time Undergraduate Students

611 students

# Part-Time Graduate Students

n/a

209 students

% American Indian/Alaskan

% Asian

% Hispanic

% Black

% White

78%

81%

This chart displays the percentage of White students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of White community college students in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

% Two or more races

% Unknown races

This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Western Dakota Technical Institute.

This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in South Dakota.

0.38

0.34

This chart displays the diversity score of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the community college average diversity score of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)

41%

57%

This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)

n/a

0.14%

Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)

$35,600

$38,900

This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of South Dakota by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $5,960 is more than the state average of $5,786. The in-state tuition has declined by 9% over four years.

The public out-state tuition of $5,960 is more than the state average of $5,786. The out-state tuition has declined by 9% over four years.

In-State Tuition Fees

$5,960

$5,786

This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Out-State Tuition Fees

$5,960

$5,786

This chart displays tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid

100%

93%

This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Median Debt for Graduates

$13,375

$12,000

This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Western Dakota Technical Institute and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Median Debt for Dropouts

$5,500

This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Western Dakota Technical Institute and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in South Dakota by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.

Acceptance Rate

97%

56%

This chart displays the percent admitted of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the community college average percent admitted of South Dakota by year, with the latest 2009-10 school year data.

Source: 2021 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

Western Dakota Tech is located in Rapid City in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. Western Dakota Technical Institute provides quality technical educational opportunities to residents of South Dakota and across the country. Western Dakota Tech is one of four State-supported postsecondary technical institutes in South Dakota. The college offer 25 different career programs ranging in length from 9 to 18 months. Western Dakota Tech grants Associate of Applied Science degrees and diplomas upon successful completion of individual program requirements. Through the Business and Industry Training Center a wide variety of non-credit classes, workshops, teleconferences and seminars are available to assist residents in enhancing one's personal or professional skills. The college offers programs in Accounting, Ag-Resources Tech Ag-Business, Ag-Resources Tech Equine Management, Ag-Resources Tech Natural Resources, Ag-Resources Tech Ranch Management, Automotive Technician, Business Management & Marketing, Cabinetry/Fine Woodworking, Carpentry, Collision Repair, Computer Aided Drafting, Computer Networking Specialist-Net Admin Computer Networking Specialist-Prog, Disability/Human Services Technician, Electronics & Computer Technician, Fire Science, Health Unit Coordinator, Industrial Electronics, Law Enforcement Technology, Medical Administrative Services, Medical Transcriptionist, Paralegal/Legal Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Phlebotomy/Laboratory Assistant, Practical Nursing, Public Safety Telecom Operator, Surgical Technology and Welding/Manufacturing. Our small class sizes combined with extensive hands-on experience create a personalized education that assures our graduates are well prepared for success in today's job market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Western Dakota Technical Institute cost?

Western Dakota Technical Institute's tuition is approximately $5,960 for In-State students and $5,960 for Out-State students.

What schools are Western Dakota Technical Institute often compared to?

Western Dakota Technical Instituteis often viewed alongside schools like National American University-Rapid City by visitors of our site.

What is the acceptance rate of Western Dakota Technical Institute?

The acceptance rate of Western Dakota Technical Institute is 97%, which is higher than the state average of 56%.

What is Western Dakota Technical Institute's ranking?

Western Dakota Technical Institute ranks among the top 20% of community college in South Dakota for: Percent of students receiving financial aid.

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Quick Stats (2024)

Enrollment: 1,214 students
In-state tuition: $5,960
Out-state tuition: $5,960
Acceptance Rate: 97%
Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
Minority enrollment: 22%
Source: Verified school update

Did You Know?

For South Dakota public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $5,786 per year for in-state students and $5,786 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $13,287 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

South Dakota community colleges have a of 0.34, which is lower than the national average of 0.71. The most diverse community college in South Dakota is National American University-Rapid City. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.