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CNC & machining programs in South Dakota
South Dakota has 3 accredited campuses awarding machinist credentials. If you finish and work as a machinist in South Dakota, expect to start around $39,280–$46,280 and reach a median of $50,890 with experience; the top quarter earn $58,750 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, South Dakota). Graduates of these South Dakota programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $37,799 in their first year, against $36,340 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.
What machinists earn in South Dakota
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 830 employed in South Dakota. National median: $58,750.
Campuses in South Dakota, ranked by what their graduates earned
Cities: MitchellRapid CityWatertown
| Campus | City | Type | Grads / yr | Earnings, yr 1 | Program debt | Completion | Cost / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Dakota Technical College | Rapid City | Public | 13 | $38,018 | $8,250 | 54% | not reported |
| Lake Area Technical College | Watertown | Public | 23 | $37,581 | $11,000 | 73% | not reported |
| Mitchell Technical College | Mitchell | Public | 2 | not reported | not reported | 76% | not reported |
Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.
Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.