Western Dakota Technical Institute

800 Mickelson Dr
Rapid City, SD 57703
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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 21%.

Top Rankings

Western Dakota Technical Institute ranks among the top 20% of community colleges in South Dakota for:

School Overview

The teacher population of 109 teachers has grown by 21% over five years.
Western Dakota Technical Institute(SD) Community College Avg.
Carnegie ClassificationAssociate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-Mixed Traditional/NontraditionalAssociate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Institution LevelAt least 2 but less than 4 yearsAt least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution ControlPublicPublic
Total Faculty109 staff208 staff
This chart display total faculty of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average number of faculty in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
School CalendarLink to School Calendar

Student Body

The student population of Western Dakota Technical Institute has grown by 44% over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 11:1 has decreased from 13:1 over five years.
The Western Dakota Technical Institute diversity score of 0.38 is more than the state average of 0.37. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment1,214 students1,569 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average number of enrollment of SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio11:19:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average student staff ratio of SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
# Full-Time Students603 students848 students
This chart display the total number of Full-Time students enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and average number of community college Full-Time students enrollment of SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
# Part-Time Students611 students721 students
This chart display the total number of Part-Time students enrollment of Western Dakota Technical Institute and average number of community college Part-Time students enrollment of SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
This chart display the Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Western Dakota Technical Institute. This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of SD.
% American Indian/Alaskan
9%
3%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Asian
1%
2%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of Asian community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Hispanic
5%
4%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Black
2%
7%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of Black community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% White
78%
79%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of White community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Two or more races
3%
1%
This chart display the percentage of Two or more races students in Western Dakota Technical Institute and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Unknown races
2%
4%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Western Dakota Technical Institute. This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in SD.
Diversity Score0.380.37
This chart display the diversity score of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the community college average diversity score of SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
College Completion Rate
43%
45%
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)$35,600$38,900
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Western Dakota Technical Institute and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of SD by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition Cost and Acceptance Rate

The public in-state tuition of $5,960 is more than the state average of $5,744. 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 $5,744. The out-state tuition has declined by 9% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees$5,960$5,744
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees$5,960$5,744
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid100%94%
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2019-20 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates$13,438$12,000
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts$5,500$5,500
This chart display 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 SD by year, with the latest 2018-19 school year data.
Acceptance Rate97%56%
This chart display the percent admitted of Western Dakota Technical Institute and the community college average percent admitted of SD by year, with the latest 2009-10 school year data.
Source: 2020 (or latest year available) 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.

Nearby Schools

The nearest community college to Western Dakota Technical Institute is National American University-Rapid City (4.5 miles away).
  • College Location Mi. Students
  • National American University-Rapid City
    Private for-profit
    1,554 students | 4.50 Mi5301 Mount Rushmore Road
    Rapid City, SD 57701
    (605) 394-4800     4.501,554
  • Eastern Wyoming College
    Public
    1,538 students | 147.50 Mi3200 West C St
    Torrington, WY 82240
    (307) 532-8200     147.501,538
  • Western Nebraska Community College
    Public
    1,722 students | 154.00 Mi1601 East 27th Street
    Scottsbluff, NE 69361
    (308) 635-3606     154.001,722
  • Casper College
    Casper College Photo - The Student Union is a central gathering point for students.
    Public
    3,619 students | 179.60 Mi125 College Drive
    Casper, WY 82601
    (307) 268-2110     179.603,619
  • Northern Wyoming Community College District
    Public
    4,347 students | 191.80 Mi1 Whitney Way
    Sheridan, WY 82801
    (307) 675-0505     191.804,347
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Quick Stats (2022)
  • Students: 1,214 students
  • In-state tuition: $5,960
  • Out-state tuition: $5,960
  • Acceptance Rate: 97%
  • Student:teacher ratio: 11:1
  • Minority enrollment: 22%
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Did You Know?
For South Dakota public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $5,744 per year for in-state students and $5,744 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 diversity score of 0.37, 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.
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